About Last Night (A Swan Queen Fanfic)
by juicecupswanqueen
Summary: Emma and Regina wake up in bed together the morning after their plan to be drinking buddies. Story takes place directly after the Winter Season Finale. This is a multi-chapter love story of how they realize that true happiness does exist and that you can find it in the most unexpected of places. This fanfic is rated M for sexual content.
1. Chapter 1: Awkward Morning

**Chapter 1: Awkward Morning**

The morning light filtered through Regina's bedroom window casting a beam that ultimately woke the brunette. The first thing she noticed was the enormous headache that almost made it unbearably difficult to move her head and that her mouth felt extremely dry. Was someone pounding a bass drum on the other side of her bedroom?

She tried to move the slightest inch but was impeded by something heavy draped over her. She concluded that it was not a something but a _someone. _"Robin?" she managed from her parched lips. No, she realized it couldn't be as she woke a bit more. Robin had crossed the town line yesterday with his wife and son, never able to return. A stirring beside her propelled thoughts of Robin out of her mind and demanded that she deal with the matter at hand.

Slowly, she opened one eye first and then the other while placing a shaky hand to her forehead. _What in the world…? _Regina gradually moved her eyes lower where she could see her torso unclothed and a smooth feminine arm crossed under her breasts. Gradually, her eyes followed the path of blonde locks that came with the arm and she found herself staring straight at the sleeping face of Emma Swan! Emma was half buried comfortably in the crook of her neck and Regina could feel the warm breath enticing her skin. Regina stilled as she cast her eyes immediately to the ceiling in shock.

_Oh my God!_

At that moment, Emma absently snuggled closer and lightly sucked Regina's earlobe into her warm soft mouth, nibbling gently, which caused Regina's nipples to traitorously harden. The blonde gave a satisfied moan afterwards and seemed to fall back to sleep.

_Oh my GOD!_

_"_"Eh-mma," she more cleared her throat than spoke, "Emma."

Emma threw her leg more securely around Regina and trembled when her slick heat made contact with the top of Regina's thigh. Regina could feel Emma's essence on herself and she felt her own arousal spike and betray her.

A hand suddenly moved to caress her breast, "Mmmm…" Emma smiled and then she massaged the turgid peak lovingly and Regina was mortified at herself for not putting a stop to this. Regina gulped hoping that would somehow give her resolve to move away but then Emma's fingers tweaked and pulled and Regina could not help the groan that escaped from her mouth, or the pull she felt at the apex of her thighs. It was then that she noticed that the fondling turned to more evaluating squeezes and when she looked over she saw Emma with her eyes closed but frowning. Regina knew she only had seconds to gather herself, prepare for the obvious exchange that was about to happen, because clearly, it seemed that Emma would be just as surprised to be waking up naked next to her. As usual, Regina put on her best regal queen look and when Emma opened her eyes Regina mocked, "Looking for grungy pirate chest hair, Miss Swan?"

Startled Emma gasped, tore her hand from Regina's breast as if bitten and backed away causing the blanket to drop away from both their bodies leaving them to stare openly at each other's nakedness. The blonde's mouth opened and closed and then her eyes goggled at Regina's firm distended nipples. The poor blonde looked like she was trying to gulp moisture into her throat. Regina, suddenly, wasn't sure whether she should take it as a compliment or an insult, but had no time to ponder it further as they both covered themselves quickly.

"REGINA! What the hell…?" Emma fisted her hair in pain, "Ow, ow… make it stop."

The brunette narrowed her eyes and coolly retaliated, "I don't like being here like this anymore than you do."

"No! The headache. Make it…" Emma started to clarify and then she stopped, "Wait, you don't?"

"What?" Regina was confused.

"What?" Emma asked.

Then there was a knock at the door. "Mom?"

Their wide eyed gazes locked and they both whispered in unison, "Henry!" Then the bed was shaking with nervous fidgeting and they were both looking for clothes.

"Mom?"

"Don't come in Henry, " Regina sputtered, "I'm not… decent!" With that, Regina grabbed a handful of the bed sheet and pulled it insistently away from Emma and wrapped herself up in it, leaving Emma to teeter naked on the edge of the bed. The blonde yelped before she toppled over onto the floor with a resounding thud.

"Mom!" Henry was now concerned. "Did you fall? Are you okay? What's going on?"

"Yes. Yes." Regina assured as she held the sheets all around her and looked around. Why, oh WHY was this happening to her? "I uh…I'm fine."

"Did you fall?"

"No. Yes."

"I'm coming in."

"NO!" Regina panicked and then tried to recover. "I mean, no. I didn't fall. I'm fine."

"Then what was that sound?"

Regina's eyes darted to Emma in alarm. The blond peeked over the top of the mattress, seemingly trying to hide herself, most of which Regina had already seen… and felt. She only gave Regina a shrug. "Uh… a cat."

Emma frowned incredulously, "Cat?" she mouthed and it was Regina's turn for a bewildered shrug.

"Uh, we don't have a cat." Regina could already see her son's know-it-all grin. Another minute of this and Henry would know something was amiss. He probably knew now.

"It was a neighborhood stray. I left my window open last night and he just crawled right in." Regina caught Emma palm her face and shake her head.

"You left your window open at night this time of year?"

Regina's headache returned in full force. She was usually mentally quick on her feet but nothing about this morning was boding well for her at all. She was always in pristine control of her life and she never woke up completely naked beside someone without any memory of what transpired the night before. She glanced at Emma as Emma was nodding proudly at the door.

"That's my boy," she preened quietly as Regina glared and then rolled her eyes.

"Bathroom," Regina instructed in hushed tones, "Go!" Emma gestured at her nakedness.

"I'm naked!"

"Really, Miss Swan, I've already seen you. Let's not be bashful." The last comment was dripping with sarcasm.

"Says the woman who's wrapped up like a burrito."

"TODAY, Miss Swan!"

It was Emma's turn to roll her eyes and Regina looked away as Emma hurried past her and then she disappeared into the bathroom. Regina wasn't sure of much last night, but one thing was for certain in her mind. Whatever happened, it was _all_ Emma's fault.

* * *

Emma stood behind the bathroom door so she could hear what Regina and Henry were saying. She could not believe the predicament in which she had found herself in this morning. Did she and Regina… did they…? She and REGINA?! Emma had done a lot of crazy things in the past, even had a few drunken one-nighters, but never had she gotten so drunk that she couldn't remember what happened the night before, let alone being so drunk that she would bed the other mother of her son; the son that sounded slightly confused and concerned just behind the door.

"So are you sure you're alright, mom. You look a little… green."

"What? No, Henry, I assure you I am fine. Er, well, maybe not feeling so well, stomach-wise."

Emma heard Henry scoff. "Yeah, I bet. You guys were acting pretty wild last night."

Regina's breath hitched. "We… we were?"

"Yeah. Loud, wild, crazy. I had to put my headphones in to get some sleep. I had no idea that you were such a party animal, Mom."

Emma leaned her forehead against the door and shut her eyes tightly. _What the hell happened last night?! _She remembered they had all returned to Regina's house after leaving the mansion where they found the hidden library and the blank fairytale books. She had joined Operation Mongoose gladly to help Regina find her happy ending. Regina's smile at her vow was all Emma needed for thanks. She wasn't exactly sure when Regina's happiness meant so much to her but she knows for sure that it was before she had brought Marian back and essentially almost ruined things between them. If Emma was committed to make anyone happy, besides her son, it was Regina.

"Mom?" Henry's tone changed from light hearted joking to seriousness. "You look like you are going to be sick or something." Emma opened her eyes are stared at the crack trying to listen more closely to Regina's reply.

"I'm fine, Henry. Um, did you want something?"

"Oh yeah," Henry brightened and Emma heard footsteps getting closer, "I'm out of toothpaste so I wanted to get some from you."

Emma darted from the door to the center of the room and searched for a hiding place. The thought of her son catching her stark naked in the middle of his mother's bathroom terrified her. She grabbed Regina's bath towel and quickly wrapped herself in it. Against the wall was a large walk-in shower with multiple shower jets mounted on the back and adjacent walls and a full glass window separating the shower from the rest of the it, there was a Jacuzzi style bath tub. This was certainly the most luxurious bathroom she had ever been was just about to dive into what looked like Regina's walk-in closet when she heard Regina's voice.

"There's an extra tube in the hall closet. I picked it up some time ago."

"Oh," Henry said and Emma breathed a sigh of relief, "You amaze me, mom."

"Hmmm, and why is that, Henry?" Emma could hear Regina sincerely fishing for Henry's admiration, though she would never admit it. Emma's heart pulled at that. Despite being the haughty royal pain in the ass Regina often was, she was starving for love and praise like anyone else.

"Because, with witches and snow queens and curses and near death experiences, you still find time to grocery shop and make sure everything is taken care of." Emma couldn't help but nod in agreement.

"I –" Regina sounded gob smacked at the recognition, "I take care of you, Henry. It's what I do." There was a silence then but Emma cold only imagine the looks of love and gratitude passing between both mother and son and she couldn't help but feel the stab of guilt for wanting to take Henry back to New York not so long ago. She knew now that she could never separate them. "_I take care of you, Henry. It's what I do."_

After a few more minutes Henry asked, "So where's Ma?" Emma bit her bottom lip as she moved her ear closer to the crack in the door.

"Hmmm?"

"Emma. Her car is still outside."

"Oh. Well she's not here… in front of us." Regina answered quickly. "Maybe she stepped out."

"Barefoot? Her boots are downstairs." Emma, while proud of her son's quick mind a moment ago, was now less than thrilled with his powers of deduction.

She and Regina must have been on the same wavelength because she heard Regina huff impatiently, "Henry, I am not your mother's keeper. I don't need to know what she's doing and where she is doing it every second of the day. I am, however, yours. Go wash up and get dressed. I will make you breakfast and we can start our day, okay?"

"Okay, okay." She heard Henry move toward the bedroom door and then his steps halted. "Will you make blueberry pancakes?" She could hear the grin on his face and envisioned the smile Regina must have returned.

"Absolutely."

"Awesome."

They really were a cute pair, Regina and Henry. When she had given Henry up for adoption so long ago, never in her wildest dreams did she think he would be adopted by the Evil Queen from the Enchanted Forest. One would think that it would have been a disaster to find that out but in retrospect, Henry was loved, well-adjusted and a good kid. Regina did that. She had encountered so many troubled kids in the system to know that it could have been a lot worse.

Emma was too busy being thankful that Henry wasn't a drug addict or a teen sex slave on the street that she did not hear Regina approaching until it was too late. The door flew open smacking her straight in the forehead.

"What the –" Regina questioned in surprise as Emma swore. Emma stepped back and was rubbing her forehead with her palm. She noticed that Regina had slipped into a thin silk magenta robe that fell to mid-thigh. Regina's hair was slightly disheveled. Her eye make-up, left over from last night, a little smudged but gave her that sexy, smokey eyed look. Her lips, however, were absent of their usual red lipstick and she suddenly found herself wishing she could remember what those lips had tasted like. She found her mouth dry and thirsty again. It should be a sin for someone to look that good in the midst of a hangover.

Emma inquired sheepishly, "So now what?"

"I haven't the faintest idea."

"Do you think Henry suspects anything?"

"Maybe. I did raise him to be quite the clever individual." Regina smiled and then pinned Emma with a look of merriment. "However he does have your genes and at the moment is thinking with his stomach too much to care."

"I could eat," Emma shrugged and earned an astonished look from Regina.

"Are you serious? Aren't you hungover?"

"I could always eat. But you wouldn't happen to have any aspirin for the headache would you?"

"In the medicine cabinet," Regina answered and pointed over to the long luxurious mirror hanging over the double sink counter. "Well then, I guess that is our next step."

"What is that?"

"We find our clothes, get dressed and have blueberry pancakes." Emma's stomach growled in response and a bright smile blossomed on her lips. If Regina's pancakes tasted as scrumptiously as the rest of her cooking, the day was already vastly improving. She caught Regina studying her intently causing Emma's smile to slip just a bit.

"What?"

Suddenly the air between them was charged with something undefinable. It felt almost like a magnetic pull of some kind. Regina blinked opened her mouth as if she was going to say something and hesitated, seeming to think better of it. Emma's eyebrows rose in question.

"I'll try and find your clothes," and with that Regina was gone.


	2. Chapter 2: Blueberry Pancakes

**Chapter 2: Blueberry Pancakes &amp; the Birds and the Bees**

Regina carefully poured the thick pancake batter onto the griddle and listened to the animated conversation coming from the kitchen table as her son was excitedly telling his other mother about the new level he had advanced to on an Xbox game. Turning her head, she watched both of them dig into their food with enthusiasm and while the younger woman was hanging on every word, Regina could tell that she seemed more enthralled with Regina's pancakes. How many had she devoured now? Three, four? Regina wasn't sure.

Emma chose that moment to look up and meet her gaze. The woman radiantly beamed at Regina and the cook was taken aback by how she had seen that same look on her son's face many times over the years. Then something else occurred to her, out of the blue, that she wasn't quite prepared for. Regina remembered that she had also seen those same expressions on a young Snow White too. She turned back to the stove and frowned. _Where did that thought come from?_

She delivered the pancakes to a plate and set it down between Henry and Emma, each reaching over and dueled, with their forks, to see who would get the one on top. Regina rolled her eyes, hiding her smile well, and took her seat. This morning she was too frazzled to be reproachful. Of course, she also knew them well enough by now that by sometimes scolding them, she would only spur them on.

"You're not going to eat, Mom?"

"No, I don't think I could handle anything just yet." She gingerly sipped her plain black coffee. He nodded in understanding and then turned to Emma. The conversation resumed and Regina relaxed and strangely observed the cozy scene around her as a warmth began to bloom in her chest.

"Hey Ma, do you want to see this level that I'm on?"

"Not right now, kid." Emma looked at the plate of pancakes and wondered if she could possibly consume another, they were so delicious. "I think I need to sit and digest for a bit."

A txt alert sounded and Henry reached a hand into his pocket for his phone and read his incoming message. Regina noticed the change that came over his features. He looked at both of them then and asked quickly, "So, um, are we going to talk about Operation Mongoose today?" He didn't wait for an answer before rushing on, "Because if not, would it be okay if I met up with... a friend?"

Emma and Regina shared a look of confusion at his sudden blush. Regina could feel the hairs on the back of her neck flutter as her maternal instincts pinged in suspicion, but she mildly answered, "I think I need a day of rest, actually."

"Um, sure, go ahead," Emma approved at nearly the same time. Regina pondered this odd familial sensation surrounding the breakfast table further when Henry asked both of them for permission at the same time. She wondered whether Emma had noticed it too.

A huge grin sprouted on the teen's face and he got up hurriedly. "Awesome, thanks!" Then he ran out of the kitchen and could be heard taking the stairs two at a time to get up to his room.

"Did our son just blow us off for a girl?" Emma tentatively asked as Regina was still staring at the doorway in disbelief.

"I think so." Both women collapsed against the back of their chairs in amazement. "Where did the time go? It seems like only yesterday he was in his room playing with his X-men action figures. Now, he's getting txts from girls!" Regina snapped back to reality just as quickly with a directed kidding look for Emma. "That's all I need, _another _meddlesome female in his life."

"Hah," Emma guffawed, "Looks like _I_ am going to be the favorite mother-in-law someday." Regina scoffed and shook her head. Emma became serious, "You _have _had the talk with him right?"

"Excuse me?" Regina's head whipped up.

"You know, the birds and the bees…" Emma waved her hand knowingly.

Regina was suddenly scandalized. "Miss Swan, of course he already knows where babies come from."

"And you've had the talk about safe sex?"

"He…" Regina was horrified. She and Henry had already discussed sexual reproduction and preventative measures taken to ensure that a woman does become pregnant, however, it was clinical and basic at best and Regina had never really discussed it as how it all would pertain to him personally. She thought she felt another headache coming on.

"He's getting taller. Growing more every day. His voice is changing. You have seen the way he looks at Ruby, haven't you?"

Regina groaned, "I suppose, maybe, it's time for a second discussion." The brunette was having a hard time with this latest development in her personal life. She just lost her soulmate the day before, woke up naked beside her adversary, or former adversary, this morning and now she had to carefully plan the conversation she very much needed to have with her pubescent son about what his responsibilities and expectations are.

"It's a good idea, Regina. I've seen my share of young teen pregnancies, and kids today are having sex younger and younger." When the older woman's face paled, Emma joked for good measure, "Besides, you don't want him to come home one day soon and tell us we're going to be grandmas." Emma smiled into her coffee cup at the sheer horror on Regina's face. Before the lip of the cup reached her lips, she perked and grinned mischievously and added, "…though technically that would also make you the baby's step-great-grandmother…"

"Please, Ms. Swan. Just, drink your coffee," Regina pleaded as she rubbed her temples. "The last thing I want to think about is the idea of Henry being sexually active."

"Um, speaking of sexual activity," Emma voiced delicately, "Are we going to talk about what happened last night?" Regina stared back at her and gulped nervously. "I know," Emma tittered putting her coffee cup down, "Hello, big elephant in the room!"

"We don't know _what _happened," Regina shrugged and then she narrowed eyes at Emma, "Do we?"

She observed the blonde recline back slightly in her chair. "We had sex, Regina."

* * *

_"We had sex, Regina."_

That early evening, Regina sat at the vanity table in her bedroom and stared at her reflection in the mirror, while trying to avoid looking at the rumpled sheets of the bed behind her. It had been hours since the blonde left. Promptly after Emma's declaration, Regina had faked a migraine and asked her – no, pleaded with her - to go. It was cowardly, she knew, but she had just felt so emotionally drained. She could not take anymore.

She glanced at the moisture pooling in her eyes as her chest grew heavy with guilt and that was where her problem lied. The brunette was uncertain what she actually felt guilty about. Logically, since Robin's departure, she wasn't committed to anyone, and therefore had not technically cheated on anyone. Did she feel guilty because she had taken advantage of Emma? They were just beginning to become friends. Was their new found comradery ruined now because they crossed some boundary and became lovers? A rosy tinge crept up her neck. Were they lovers now? The term "lovers" sounded so… involving, when honestly she wasn't sure it would happen again. _What do I mean not sure if it would happen again? Do I want it to happen again? Then why aren't I certain that it will NEVER happen again? _

She had a snippet of memory about waking in the very early hours of the morning being cradled by someone and it was she who was laying atop someone else, clinging to them as if her life had depended on it. Her mind had known in a second that it wasn't a man's body holding her and she didn't care or mind because she was enjoying it. Of course, she hadn't really realized it was Emma Swan, since the fuzziness in her head really kept her from certain clarity, but she recalled how Emma's scent had completely invaded her senses and as she drifted back into slumber, Regina had acknowledged a desire to never move from that spot. She felt totally relaxed, unfettered by worry and for the first time in a long time she had felt… safe. Safe… in the arms… of someone _else._

Her stomach rolled at that thought. Was that why she felt guilty too? Because she had not felt this safe with Robin? He was her soulmate after all. Why didn't she feel that same level of security with him?

"Perhaps because the lout seduced you in your vault beside the crypts of your dead parents," Regina heard, head shot up to momentarily see the reflection of the Evil Queen in all her black leather splendor sarcastically smirking and looking back at her, "What kind of boorish imbecile entices you with sex amongst the droning sound of beating hearts in drawers? How utterly un-romantic and uncomfortable. At least the blonde _took_ you in your own bed."

Regina blinked and saw herself, the former mayor, looking back again. She rolled her eyes and buried her face in her hands, elbows propped on the table.

_Took me. _Regina secretly wished she could remember every detail of last night. Truth be told, over the years, the older woman had entertained thoughts of the savior in a sexual capacity, even that first year. They may have all been under a curse, but she wasn't dead. Regina had acknowledged in the first moment that she had met Emma Swan that she had found her to be an attractive woman and as time went on, though they were rivals, Regina could not help but be intrigued and fascinated by the younger woman. She had tried to reason that Emma's allure was due to the Queen finally having someone worthy to fight. She had spent 28 years in the same boring routine and along came Henry's birth mother, threatening to upturn her life and steal her son. Of course she _loathed _her, but the bail bondsperson made a worthy opponent, more so than her parents, that Regina couldn't help but truly _admire _her at times, though she would have not admitted it to anyone then. Looking back, Emma Swan had occupied her thoughts incessantly and was often the last person she thought of at night, and the first person she thought of in the morning.

She glanced into the mirror again. Even though that traitor, Sidney, had disappeared, she supposed she could still use magic somehow to relive what had befallen her and Emma the night before, but she was not quite prepared to see the truth.

One thing she thought that might be interesting to see, though: the reaction of Emma's mother if she were ever to find out. With a shake of her head and a snicker, Regina concluded that Snow White would probably have a conniption fit.


	3. Chapter 3: Bubble, Bubble, Toil & Troubl

**Chapter 3: Bubble, Bubble, Toil and Trouble**

The sheriff's station was quiet as the day was uneventful and Emma was sitting at her desk with her legs propped over the corner thinking about what she was going to do about this mess she and Regina were in. A few days had passed and in that time, flashbacks were besieging her of their night together; the feel of Regina's body and the sounds she made.

Emma had always thought Regina's tone of voice was sexy, even when she was haughty and bossy. But _these _sounds, these sounds were so damn hot that the sheriff was surprised the bed did not go up in flames.

_"Oh my God, Emma… yes, YES, so good… like that… right THERE!" _

She dropped her booted feet to the floor and smacked her forehead. She had to get a grip on her feelings. Being in this constant state of arousal had made her prickly so she tried her best to nearly avoid everyone, the most challenging being her mother. Mary Margaret knew something was bubbling under the surface and every time she got that curious look Emma assaulted her with a "back off" look, so Mary Margaret would not push. However, that's what her mother did. She pushed and Emma knew that the reprieve from her inquisitiveness would not last much longer. They were mother and daughter after all, and there was a lot to be said about genes, stubbornness and perseverance.

The mobile phone vibrated on her desk and she had a fleeting hope that it might be Regina until she saw the caller's true identity and all she felt was dread. She wasn't quite sure what she was going to do about him. That night she spent with Regina, Killian had phoned her nine times! She leaned on her desk letting his call slip into voice mail again and leaned forward with an exasperated sigh.

She had txted him yesterday telling him that she was feeling unwell and that there were also some things that she needed to deal with. She assured him that nothing bad had happened to her, though, and she just needed a little time for herself. Thankfully he had let her be and she was relieved that he wasn't being his lascivious and presumptuous self. She had always known that he wanted more from her than she was willing to give, and now, she may have even had a reason, unbeknownst to her, why she had been holding back from him. One cannot go to 2nd base with one person when one secretly wants to charge home with another. Great, she was thinking in crappy baseball metaphors now.

David rounded the corner and stepped into view, bundled up tightly in a scarf and his leather jacket. In an effort to not cross paths with Emma too much, as he had a feeling his daughter was dealing with something heavy, he had been patrolling the streets of Storybrooke. "It is _cold _outside!" He chucked his gloves onto his desktop and unzipped his jacket, "After the hell week we have just had, I am happy to report that things seem back to normal, and incredibly, no sign of chaos in sight waiting to enact destruction on our fair town."

"Whatever will we do with ourselves…"

While pouring a much needed cup of coffee, David turned slightly to study his brooding daughter, and then turned back to his coffee. He was at a loss for how to comfort her. He and Snow were still learning as they went at how they could be the parents Emma needed, though mentally and emotionally, they were all pretty much the same age. He and Snow had discussed it, sometimes even late into the night, and he knew that his wife still struggled harder with it than he did because she had gotten to know Emma the best during the first curse. He was distanced from them, not even knowing who they really were, not even knowing who _he_ really was. However, Snow and Emma were roommates and best friends so it was a harder transition for the short haired brunette when the curse ended. She went from being a good friend and confidante, to being an instant mother – which had thrilled her – only for Emma to hold her at arm's length. In the end, the Charmings had decided that the best way to proceed was to just be there for Emma in whatever capacity she needed them, and so far, it had been working and they were growing closer. At least now they were "mom and dad" and not Mary Margaret and David to her.

He must have been channeling his wife because he suddenly found it so urgent to stop in front of Emma's desk, coffee cup in hand, and interjected, "You know that if you want to talk, I'm here." That jolted Emma out of her thoughts. When she looked up at him he offered, "We know that you are used to taking care of yourself and not having people there for you. There's nothing we can do about what's passed but we _are _here for you now. We are family. We love you. We're here."

Emma opened her mouth to say something but nothing came out so she closed it again. Then a small smile showed on her lips and her eyes sparkled in amusement, "Thanks, _mom_." Then, they both laughed together.

The blonde couldn't put into words how touched and grateful she was at his sentiment, as well as slightly uncomfortable, because he was right. She hadn't had many people she could turn to in her youth. When Emma Swan had a problem she had to deal with it herself and she learned how to be a survivor that way. Now, she had family.

_But Regina has no one._ No parents, no siblings. She had Henry but she was always so reluctant to involve him in her problems. She always had to be the strong one, show no vulnerability. No one understood that better than Emma.

Suddenly she was hit with another memory, this time of a certain older brunette situated between her thighs, doing the most amazingly intimate things with her mouth and fingers. Emma groaned and David looked up quickly. She held a palm up to her father and said, "I'm fine."

That was not the truth, though. The sheriff yearned to be with the former mayor, re-enacting some of these memories haunting and stimulating her. She wondered momentarily if these same visions were returning to Regina and if she was just as aroused.

* * *

Regina sat in her study watching the embers in the fireplace dance and flicker, while she was, indeed, remembering some of the events of that night. _This is where it all started. _She looked around and her senses started tingling as forgotten scenes were emerging in frequency and strength.

_"How about that drink, Regina. We never did slam those shots down at Granny's." Emma removed her leather jacket and holding it out in front of her looked for somewhere to place it, then glanced at the floor. They had just returned from the mansion where they had discovered the hidden library and the blank storybooks. Henry raced upstairs saying he was going to make some notes in his Operation Mongoose notebook. _

_"Ms. Swan, I do NOT 'slam down' alcohol." Regina walked over, glared at Emma's outstretched arm and grabbed Emma's jacket._

_"Oh sorry…gulp, guzzle, slurp…" Emma emphasized the U and the P of the last word for added cheek._

_That stopped Regina in her tracks with a scandalized look on her face just as she reached her destination. "Certainly not!" she chastised and then corrected, "I imbibe." The brunette swung the closet door open and hung the younger woman's jacket and continued, "…and we have coat closets for jackets. They're filled with these useful little things called 'hangers'."_

_Upon entering the study Regina made quick work of filling two cognac snifters with amber liquid. When she handed one to Emma the blonde piped up, "Ah…the good stuff huh?"_

_"Sorry," Regina acerbically joked, "I'm fresh out of '_Coors'_," earning a scoff from the blonde at the jab who took the bulbed glass and downed the contents like a sailor on shore leave. "Remember to swirl, dear."_

_"What?" Emma held her glass out and Regina filled it deciding that if they were going to drink the horrible events of the day away, there was no time like the present. She did however throw the sheriff a stiff glance while capping the expensive bottle. Emma ignored her admonishment however and took a huge swig from the glass and her eyes were shut tight and tearing as the brandy burned down her throat. She sputtered waving her hand in front of her as to slowly fan herself and Regina patted her back while sipping her own drink. The smell and taste of brandy invaded their senses and the fine wine began to warm their insides. Regina found it remarkable that already she was feeling less stressed and more cozy and relaxed. She looked across at Emma and it seemed the blonde was almost done with her drink again. _

_"Slow down, Sheriff, you're not in a saloon hall in the old Wild West." Regina led her over to the sofa and then took the seat next to her._

_"I've had brandy before."_

_"Yes but… this particular brand of 'cognac' is very strong."_

_"I can hold my liquor," Emma insisted and handed her nearly empty glass back to Regina in a silent request for more, "AND this too." Then she gave Regina a look that had Regina's eyebrow lifting as she blinked slightly bewildered._

_Regina got up and walked around the sofa but not before she turned back and gave Emma a speculative glance which was when Emma gazed at her with glassy emerald eyes and wiggled her eyebrows. Then she nodded at the glass Regina was holding._

_"Oooookay," Regina shrugged walking to the bar and pouring Emma more. If the blonde got sick it was her own damn fault. She refilled the glass and resumed her spot next to Emma after handing her the newly filled glass, but made sure to halt Emma bringing it to her lips again for a warning. "Now remember…swirl. And sip. No 'slamming'…"_

_"Swirling and slamming…hah". Emma chuckled and flushed causing Regina's glass to pause halfway to her lips in bafflement. She eyed Emma strangely as she sipped from her own glass. She took this opportunity to observe her adversary, frenemy, friend under these circumstances. The drink had tinged Emma's fair skin slightly pink and she looked healthy and relaxed. Regina took another sip as she noticed the light smattering of freckles and suddenly Emma turned those green orbs her way and the blonde was smiling. Regina was flummoxed to discover that her thoughts led her to contemplate Emma Swan's prettiness. Another sip and Regina's gaze fell to Emma's lips. She cleared her throat, not sure why really._

_"So where is the swashbuckling imbecile tonight and why are you here instead of there?" Regina frowned into her snifter not noticing Emma sobering a little in a show of discomfort._

_"Oh…uh…he, you know, he just got his heart back so I guess he's resting somewhere." Regina just sat blinking at her as if waiting for more. "So what is with all the swirling anyway," Emma immediately asked and Regina had a feeling she was avoiding the subject but Emma's dating life didn't really seem her concern, though why she suddenly felt contrary to that fact she didn't know. Though it was kind enough of Emma to be her drinking buddy, Regina and Emma didn't usually discuss their feelings. Regina had had more "heart to hearts" with Emma's mother, Snow White, lately and she had spent quite a chunk of her life trying to kill the woman. She noticed that Emma was swirling the cognac a bit too fast. Without thinking she immediately reached out and covered Emma's hand with her own._

_"Slow down, Emma," she grinned and both women ignored the inexplicable spark felt at their contact. "You said you've had brandy before but this is fine cognac. It's made in France using very special grapes and there is a specific way to fully enjoy it."_

_Regina was captivated by Emma's eyes sparkling like a million emeralds that were seemingly transfixed with the movement of Regina's lips as she spoke, "…you swirl, not abruptly, but full and gently…you cup it, keep it warm…bring it to your nose, smell the full bodied scent of it, appreciate it…then bring it to your lips and drink gently and let the taste of it coat your tongue…"_

_Emma's eyes bulged and Regina realized too late that her words could have another meaning all together and apparently that was how the blonde interpreted it. Again, Regina cleared her throat. It was suddenly getting all too warm in here. _Swirling… cupping… smelling… tasting…_ Regina looked down and noticed that her glass was almost empty as well. She got up to refill it, aware of Emma's eyes following her._

_"You have an amazing voice, Regina." Emma chimed in when the older woman returned to the couch. "I bet that you could read a Driver's Ed manual and still sound so… SO." _

_Regina wasn't sure how to take that so she did what she did best, gave a sarcastic retort. "Really Miss Swan, your powers of articulation continue to astound me." _

_"No, no, really. When you were the Evil Queen did you ever do incantations?" At Regina's surprised look she continued, "You know… like the Evil Queen in Disney's cartoon "Snow White". _

_"Emma…"_

_"I always thought she was kind of hot."_

_Regina shook her head, trying to hide a smile. Oh, yes, the savior was inebriated in her study. What she wouldn't have given some years ago for this. She could have probably finagled all kinds of information from the blonde. They were friends now. _Friends._ "You thought THAT evil queen was hot? Okay, that's a little weird. She was a totally displeasing misinterpretation of my life. She was so droll. I had flair! There's a difference."_

_"And what did you think of Snow White?"_

_"Oh, please. She was a feeble minded clod. Even your mother was not so unintelligible. Of course, I never would have raised Snow to be so dimwitted." Emma's jaw dropped at the off-handed compliment. "And if you ever tell her I said that, I will deny it vehemently."_

_Emma scooted closer to Regina, placing her hand on Regina's knee. She could feel the heat through the fabric of her pants and it seemed to be climbing up her leg. "So did you, you know, do it?" Why was Regina so lost in Emma's eyes? What was Emma saying? _

_"Do it?"_

_"Yeah. Incantations." Did Emma's hand just move an inch closer to her thigh? When the brunette saw the tip of Emma's tongue wet her lips, Regina's did the same as well in anticipation. "Oh c'mon, Regina. Say, 'Bubble, bubble, toil and trouble'…" and then the younger woman hiccupped and moved closer._

Regina's cellphone dinged and she looked at the screen. Emma had sent her a simple txt message.

**Emma: R u ok?**

Leave it to Emma to be straightforward and at the same time with only three words, or rather not even three full words. Regina could still feel the emotional support she was being offered though. It thrilled her and scared her.

She slid her finger across the screen to activate the phone and then started typing quickly that she wanted to see Emma. She wanted a friend. She wanted to talk about all the conflicting emotions within her. She wanted to tell someone that she had remembered some of what happened during that night and that it was driving her mad with desire. Then she stopped and erased her message and retyped it.

**Regina: Yes.**

**Emma: Good.**

Regina waited a few more minutes and the inactivity was excruciating. Maybe she should call Emma. She was fairly certain that somehow the ball had landed in her court and Emma was trying to be the patient one and let her call the shots. Before she could think of anything to say, iMessage dinged again.

**Emma: I am remembering.**

Regina sighed. _Here we go._

**Regina: Me too.**

Awkward silence.

**Emma: I had to take a cold shower twice yesterday.**

Regina couldn't help but chuckle, the merriment in her eyes. Well she had not expected joking so soon. It just proved that Emma Swan was indeed unpredictable, and the brunette was glad for it. Regina thought of what her next txt would be, realizing that she was in a jovial mood all of a sudden and her eyes glittered with mischief.

**Regina: Oh, and that worked for you? Unfortunately, I was not so lucky. **

**Emma: No?**

**Regina: No. I had to take matters into my own hands.**

Regina held her breath for a moment after she tapped "Send". Then her txt alert went off and she laughed at Emma's reply which was three shocked faces. Immediately, she got another txt.

**Emma: I think I need another cold shower.**

The brunette chortled, startled at how much fun she was having. In a funny way, txting had helped them communicate without the awkwardness that being face to face would have brought. It also, miraculously, pushed Regina to the next step, a step she knew she had to take, but she was still apprehensive about baring herself. She thought for a moment and began typing.

**Regina: Henry and I were thinking about having breakfast at Granny's tomorrow before I walk him to the bus stop.**

**Emma: Hmmm… I wonder if they have blueberry pancakes. They are my new favorite breakfast food.**

A smile blossomed on Regina's lips.

**Regina: In that case, I think it important that you find out. Tomorrow morning. And maybe we will run into you.**

**Emma: And maybe I'll join you.**

**Regina: Maybe.**

**Emma: Good. Uh, what time should I maybe go over and check to see if Granny's makes blueberry pancakes?**

**Regina: Definitely 7:30.**

**Emma: Good. Then I'll take tomorrow's cold shower at 7:00. See you tomorrow. And Regina… thanks.**

**Regina: See you tomorrow.**

She re-read their messages and felt a heaviness, the usual fear of being rejected, and the uncertainty. She wished for some light banter but their conversation seemed to be over. And then her phone received another txt. She opened the app.

**Emma: You know, Regina, it could have been a lot worse.**

**Regina: And how so, Miss Swan?**

**Emma: You could have woken up next to Dopey.**

And just like that Regina felt the heaviness slip away and she fell against the couch cushions with delightful peals of laughter.


	4. Chapter 4: Snagged on a Hook

**Chapter 4: Snagged On a Hook**

Emma was out of the apartment by 7:15 and walking briskly down the street toward Granny's. It was true she had a skip to her step and a cheery grin on her face and she was trying to tell herself it was the blueberry pancakes enticing her. She was only lying to herself, she knew. It was the thought of seeing Regina again… and Henry, of course, Henry too. _I am going crazy._

She had just made it through the doorway when she realized that she was 5 minutes early. Wouldn't Regina be in for a surprise to find that the Sheriff was actually on time since, as Mayor, the older woman had blustered on about the sheriff being late for meetings and such, never thinking that the cause of her tardiness could be said _boring_ meetings.

The scent of freshly brewed coffee, frying bacon and hash browns wafted through the air and a few of the patrons turned and waved. Emma returned their greetings with a smile and walked straight up to the stoutly gray-haired woman behind the counter.

"Morning Granny," the blonde casually saluted and took a seat at the counter. Granny set a cup in front of the young blonde and poured piping hot coffee from the carafe. She also placed two creams and the sugar jar in front of Emma, knowing the woman's usual. "How's the neck?"

"Well, good morning to you too, Sheriff," Granny smiled and then put her hand on the back of her neck and massaged it a little. "It still hurts but much less than yesterday. Darn that whole Shattered Sight business. Who the heck knew that dwarf was so strong!"

"Doc? It may have been the curse. He was enraged and rage can sometimes make you do some pretty powerful things."

"Yeah, I know. He's been in here these last few days apologizing his head off."

At that moment, Ruby took the opportunity to lean over the back of Emma's shoulder with a tray of food and she joked, "That's because he's sweet on you, Granny." Emma nearly choked on her coffee at the funny thought of the mild mannered dwarf courting the stern woman who hid her crossbow under the counter like a shotgun in a convenience store. "Hey, Em." Then she was across the restaurant setting plates down in front of people.

"Don't listen to her," the older woman shot out loud enough for her granddaughter to hear, "She's out of her mind. Probably the effects of being quadruple-chained to a tree out in the woods for so long during that curse so she couldn't _EAT _anybody!" Ruby, also known as Red Riding Hood in the Enchanted Forest, was a werewolf and had learned to shift from her wolf form back into her human form and vice versa. They all had thought it extremely important, with this skill, that she be taken deep into the woods and chained many times around a tree with heavy chains so she couldn't hurt herself or anyone else. Thankfully it had worked.

The long dark haired waitress turned to her grandmother and playfully stuck out her tongue. "I would have eaten YOU, you old bat, because I love you so much."

Emma was enjoying their lighthearted ribbing when the bells over the door chimed and she turned in excitement and then her face fell.

"Swan… you are a sight for sore eyes… "

Ruby grunted under her breath in disgust and Granny's eyes started to roll before they both turned and left.

"Morning, Killian." The smile Emma gave him did not reach her eyes, she was aware, but she couldn't seem to muster up enough enthusiasm. She prided herself on not being a coward but she was dreading the discussion she was going to have to have with him. As soon as he parked himself next to her, he leaned over to kiss her but her coffee cup prevented him from hitting his target. She gave him a fake look of apology but did not move to rectify the miss.

"And how are you feeling today?" He did not wait for her answer before he waved Ruby down and said, "I'll have a cup of tea, love."

"Uh, well," Emma stuttered. She didn't have time for this. Regina and Henry would be here any minute. "I've had a lot on my plate. I'm still working through some things."

When Ruby delivered his cup of tea, bag steeping in it already, Hook reached into his inside pocket and pulled out his flask.

"Seriously? It's 7 in the morning?"

"No time like the present," he winked and began to pour what smelled like rum into his cup. The scent of alcohol, however, turned Emma's stomach, especially with her most recent experience with it. After that night, she was probably well off alcohol for at least a few months. She was still having a hard time remembering everything. For instance, she wasn't quite sure how they got to Regina's bed, though she was remembering all the naughty things they did in it. At that thought, she shifted slightly to ease the ache at her center and could already feel the moisture gathering between her legs. Ruby passed them behind the counter and she stopped abruptly and smelled. She turned wide shocked eyes at Emma knowingly and then her glance darted to Hook and her face scrunched up in distaste. Darn her wolf sense of smell. Emma blushed and could not keep her head from shaking side to side as she hoped Ruby would not misinterpret her arousal. When the waitress looked back at Emma, she seemed to read her correctly and she gave her a sympathetic smile and moved on.

Killian took a sip of his tea and moved closer to Emma's ear and muttered, "You know what it is you need, Swan?" Emma was sure the effect he was going for was sensual but his voice made her cringe. "You need some alone time. With me, love. I can make you forget all your problems." She felt his hand on her lower back rubbing in slow meaningful circles. She could smell the rum on his breath as he now whispered, he was so close, "I can leave you feeling very, _very _relaxed."

Emma was attempting so hard to not regurgitate the little coffee she had drunk that she didn't hear the entry bell chime again.

"Well," she heard the dangerous tremor in Regina's voice. "Isn't this a cozy little scene?" Emma's eyes flew open and she swiveled in her chair so fast that she nearly knocked Hook off balance.

"Regina!" Emma noticed that the stiff backed woman in front of her now was not the same woman she txted with the night before and certainly not the intense and attentive lover whose arms she was continually peaking with a few nights ago. Her demeanor was guarded, walls up, and her eyes were hardened and unforgiving. _Just fucking great!_

"Morning, Regina," Ruby greeted. A few others had also greeted her but with "Madame Mayor", using the old moniker. Even though she wasn't the mayor of Storybrooke anymore, some people still addressed her as such, and Emma supposed that it was a little like how former presidents were still called "Mr. President". Regina, at first was actually surprised and didn't mind. Only a few were on a first name basis with her anyway and no one, including Regina, cared to title her "Your Majesty". The older woman had said that she was trying to move on from the past.

Ruby grabbed two menus and her smile brightened, "Good morning, Henry," she poked his belly and Emma could see the look of sheer adoration on his face as he shyly waved back; his brain cells apparently not in the greatest working order suddenly.

"Morning Ruby." Regina's eyes shot daggers at the pirate sitting on Emma's left. Then she looked purposely at Emma and said, "Table for _two."_

Emma huffed in disappointment and watched Ruby lead Henry and Regina over to a booth. Hook had his back to the whole scene and did not catch the dark looks Regina was aiming at him. Midway, Emma noticed Henry's eyes fall to Ruby's shapely behind and he tripped over his own feet. This act called Regina's attention away from the counter and her puzzled look told Emma that Emma was the only one to witness their son's blunder.

_Smooth, kid, real smooth. Awkward teen years, here we come._

"Henry, are you alright?"

The tips of Henry's ears were bright red and his face was starting to color. "Uh… yeah." He tossed an embarrassed look at Ruby, "I'm sorry."

"No harm done," she beamed placing her hand on his shoulder. "Here you go." She presented their booth, placed their menus on the tabletop and began to walk away as Regina slid into her seat. Henry, however, was still standing, watching Ruby depart. When he stood there a little longer than necessary, Emma observed Regina look up at him with a quizzical look on her face and when she followed his gaze to see what had grabbed such rapt attention, understanding dawned and with a disbelieving eye roll she glanced at Emma.

"Told you," Emma mouthed as Regina shook her head in incredulity. She heard Regina clear her throat which spurred Henry to take his seat.

Killian reached over and stroked Emma's arm and Regina's eyes blackened, her face turned front and she flipped her menu open roughly.

This was NOT how her morning was supposed to go, Emma thought.

* * *

With her tall heeled boots clacking on the pavement, Regina walked across the street and away from the bus stop where she had waved Henry off. Now that it was alone with her thoughts, she felt free to steam about the events of the morning. What was supposed to be a nice and enjoyable breakfast now bordered on indigestion and she normally enjoyed her usual at Granny's, a mushroom and spinach egg-white omelet with a cup of fresh fruit. Damn Sheriff Swan and her salacious cretin for ruining it!

She was rather excited to see Emma that morning and had been hurrying Henry out of the house. Of course, she didn't tell him why, just that she wanted to have a lovely breakfast with him before school. When they stepped into the diner and Regina saw Hook draping himself over the blonde, the older woman seethed with jealousy, which had well and truly appalled her. It was well known that the grubby pirate had been wooing the savior for a while now, but Regina had always hoped that Emma would be too wise to fall for his trickery. She knew firsthand how vile and deceitful Killian Jones could be. After all, she had employed him a time or two to carry out the Queen's evil bidding as well as fallen victim to his treachery. Regina wrapped her arms around her middle, cringing instantly at the memory of being strapped to a shock machine and having to endure the maximum level of electric currents shooting through her body. Hook may not have been the one twisting the machine's knobs, but he helped put her there and she nearly died.

Now, he was sitting in the diner having breakfast like nothing happened. All was forgiven him. Regina clenched her jaw bitterly. First, Rumple got the girl, though through his own stupidity and weakness for power, his wife kicked him out of town. Now, Killian is sitting pretty with his arm around Emma like all of a sudden, he's a hero. It was not fair! Regina was DUE her happy ending, wasn't she? Why should these villains have their chance at love? What did she do to have _hers_ snatched away from her?

Suddenly her father's face flashed before her eyes with a sad smile and it halted her steps, her breath clouding in front of her in the cold crisp air. A lone tear rolled down her cheek, the first of many waiting to fall, as the guilt and anguish threatened to claw at her insides. She rarely let herself think of it: the sacrifice that started it all. _It gave me Henry. It gave me Henry. _She would repeat this like a mantra when she felt herself thinking of it. Her father's face, holding his beating heart. _It gave me Henry. _

She quickly wiped at the tears and sniffled, trying to regain her composure. Even though she acknowledged that she had done things that she could never atone for even in a hundred lifetimes, she also knew that she was not that woman anymore and there was nothing that she wouldn't do for Henry. His love saved her. If she had to live on his love alone, she would take it.

"REGINA!" She looked up and saw Emma jogging across the street and she immediately turned around and started in the opposite direction, unaware of where she was escaping to. "Regina, wait!" She trotted a little faster but could not outrun the blond in her flat boots. She felt the grip on her arm as Emma spun her around. "Will you STOP?!" The younger woman grasped the brunette's shoulders in her hands and gave her a shake, "It's NOT what it looked like back there."

Regina gave a derisive snort and shook the blonde's hands off. "No, really! Are you going to believe what you see or what I tell you?" She threw Emma a sarcastic glare informing her how crazy that statement sounded. The young blonde threw her hands up in frustration. "No, I mean…" Her words stopped as she inspected Regina's eyes. "Have… have you been crying?"

"Over you and Captain Crunch over there? Miss Swan, don't flatter yourself."

"What's the matter?" Emma ignored her sarcasm and searched Regina's eyes with concern. "You _have _been crying."

The floodgates were opening and the more Regina tried to reign herself in, the more she found her eyes overflowing. _What the hell!_ Her father, her sins, Gold, Emma, that hooked idiot, Robin they were all reminders swimming in her head of why she couldn't be happy. She had no right to the happiness a part of her screamed, but she still thought being denied it, at practically every turn, was so unfair.

A sob escaped from her throat and the next thing she knew she was engulfed in Emma's arms being rocked, nestled in warmth and unconditional support. Emma's embrace broke through her defenses and when Regina vulnerably laid her cheek on Emma's shoulder, the blonde's arms tightened and she could feel the reassuring kisses on the back of her head.

Regina was unaware of how long they were clutched together like that until she heard someone clearing their throat. Both women glanced up and saw Tinkerbell standing there, head tilted, scrutinizing them. When Regina tried to step back, Emma held her firmly in place and threw a defiant look at the green fairy.

"Hi, Tink," Emma greeted.

"Hello," Tink smiled back. Her eyes moved from one woman to the other.

Regina's eyes refused to look up, and when the fairy greeted Regina, she just said, "Tinkerbell." By now, the two women had a few onlookers regarding them curiously. It was probably a strange sight to see the Sheriff and former mayor locked in a lengthy embrace. The older woman couldn't take the attention any longer and reached behind her to unlock Emma's arms, both women suddenly looking at each other, faces only inches apart.

Once she was free, Regina slowly backed away, throat moving, eyes staring into Emma's longingly but also apologetically. She straightened, drawing what little pride she had left in that instant and walked away.


	5. Chapter 5: Bear Claw Confessions

**Chapter 5: Bear Claw Confessions**

Emma stared down at the police report proof-reading what she had just finished writing. She had read that same paragraph three times and could not concentrate, not when Regina might be holed up in her mansion upset. Looking at the wall clock it was a little after one. Henry wasn't due to be picked up for another few hours yet. Regina would be home alone. _Was she moping? _Emma dismissed the report with a huff._ Was she crying? _Emma scooted her chair back and grabbed her jacket.

The sheriff was nearing the hallway when she heard a commotion and saw the front of a baby stroller being wheeled around the corner, a very determined Mary Margaret at the helm. _Time's up!_

"Emma," Mary Margaret greeted, parking the stroller, checking in on a sleeping baby Neal, dug in her bag, produced a white paper bag, slid it across the desk and plopped herself down in the chair beside it. Emma knew she wasn't going anywhere, so she sighed, hung her jacket back up and sat in her chair.

"Bribing me with bear claws now, Mom?" Emma peered into the bag and smiled, "You're getting good at this."

Mary Margaret folded her hands and dropped them in her lap, closed her eyes, inhaled and then blurted out, "So what is going on with you and Regina…" Straight to the point. It sounded like a statement but was a question nonetheless and stated with mild curiosity, no acrimony, no outrage. Those brown eyes seemed to see right through her preventing even the possibility of fibbing. Mary Margaret was definitely getting good at this "mother" thing.

"I don't know." Sighing, Emma dropped a bear claw on the top of the bag, took a deep breath and just divulged everything quickly and all at once.

"The day Robin left I tried to console Regina by being drinking buddies. Henry came in and told us about a discovery he made, so we all went to the mansion with the portal door that sent Elsa and Anna back to Arendelle, and we found this hidden library behind a wall and we went in and found all these blank fairytale story books, like the one you gave Henry. He told me about Operation Mongoose and I joined the cause to help find Regina a happy ending. Then, we went back to Regina's and I didn't want to leave so I convinced her that we should resume our drinking because, you know, day from HELL, and we drank and got knee-walking drunk and ended up sleeping together. I know that's probably not what you want to hear, but it happened and I really, REALLY want it to happen again because it was so SO good, the best sex I have ever HAD actually. I think she has feelings for me and I suspect she likes having sex with me too. Then there is Hook, who's been trying to get in my pants forever. I had considered that _maybe_ he and I could, you know, be a couple, but that was before sleeping with Regina, which has made me realize that I have FEELINGS for her and I think I have had them all along. The thought of Killian touching me in the same way Regina did that night makes me physically ill now. I know I should have told him that and broken up with him this morning, especially since he ruined my breakfast with Regina and Henry. HOLY CRAP, she was so mad and jealous when she saw us together, I thought I had a FIREBALL coming my way any minute. I chased her down, after Henry left on the school bus, and she was crying, mom, CRYING, so I did the only thing I wanted to do all morning and that was to hold her to me and never let go. Next thing I know, Tink was there watching us and everyone was there watching us and it scared Regina off."

Emma was nearly out of breath from spitting that lengthy explanation and as she slowly brought her eyes up, she found Mary Margaret with eyes blinking and mouth slightly agape.

"You… slept… with Regina."

"Yeah…"

"Ohhh…" Mary Margaret collapsed against the back of the chair. Her mouth opened and closed several times unsure of what to say next. She inhaled, held her breath and then exhaled out loudly, repeatedly. Emma had expected anger, extreme prejudice but certainly not the next thing out of Mary Margaret's mouth. "The _best _sex you ever had…Regina, really?"

"That's what you're taking out of the whole thing?"

Her mother was moving her head from side to side as if trying to take it all in and with an incredulous smile she slowly nodded, "I'm… still processing."

"You're not mad?"

The short haired brunette turned to look out the window and then stared at her lap seeming as if she wasn't sure where to begin. Then resigned she looked at her daughter and said, "I'm not really surprised."

Emma goggled at her, "What?" Whatever response she was expecting, it wasn't that.

"Emma, if you had told me this a few years ago, I would have been furious but…there has been… _something_… between you and Regina for a while now. It's not like I haven't had time to _prepare _for this."

"What?!" Emma was stunned and after searching her mother's face intently her eyes narrowed. "When?" At the other women's quizzical brow, she asked more clearly, "When did you suspect?"

"Neverland. I mean, I can't say when it truly started for you two, but I began suspecting in Neverland." Mary Margaret scanned the four corners of the room trying to gather her thoughts before she continued, "Do you remember when Regina ripped the heart out of that lost boy?"

"When I let her you mean?" Emma threw back, but her mother just waved that off and continued on.

"I saw the rage and anger in you when you had him pinned to that tree and of course it was understandable, but I saw him goading you and you giving in to the desperation, the darkness, so little hope, that I pulled you off of him because…" Mary Margaret gave a sad smile, "…because you reminded me of her. When she wanted to rip his heart out and she asked what you thought, I fully expected you to, I don't know, NOT do it. Tell Regina she was crazy and that it was evil and that we could find another way."

"There was no other way, Mom, you know that."

"Oh, Emma," her mother grabbed her hand reassuringly. "I'm not questioning you or scolding you. I'm just telling you that I saw it then. That, thing, connection, between you two. It scared the living daylights out of me." Mary Margaret held Emma's hand tighter. "Do you remember our conversation after? How I desperately needed to know that there was a line between what Regina was willing to do and what you were. I felt like I was losing you and sometimes I don't even think I understand you and then I realize that it's in the same way I don't understand Regina and then I really freak out."

"So you're scared, not mad. I thought you'd be livid seeing how Regina's your stepmom and…"

"Emma, please. Regina hasn't been my stepmother in like forever and a day." Mary Margaret shook her head and then frowned, "My stalker, my opposition, my executioner…"

"Alright, yeah. I get it."

"But we seemed to have moved passed it. Now she is a friend, well friendlier, an ally, devoted mother to my grandson. She and I made peace. And let's face it, she was a far better mayor than I am. Do you think she would take the job back? Frankly, I hate it."

"There needs to be an election, Mom." Emma chuckled and then became serious. "So you're not mad, but scared?"

"More concerned." She let go of Emma's hands and rubbed the top of her thighs.

"Why?"

"Emma, she just lost her 'soulmate' days ago. I saw her with Robin and Roland. It had been a long time since I had seen her that happy." She looked down and thought of Daniel and then back up, "I just don't want you to be some rebound for her."

Emma's face fell and Mary Margaret could have kicked herself. She grabbed her daughter's hands. "Emma. I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that. It's NOT one-sided. I believe Regina does have feelings for you and I know she feels them intensely. But I also think that she needs to sort a few things out for herself emotionally first. Will you be okay with that? Because I can tell you from experience, nothing with Regina is ever simple or easy. She is a HOT MESS!" She caught the corners of her daughter's mouth quirk upward. "But then again, so are you, right? Which is why you two have such mind-blowing sex together."

"Mom!"

"Would you rather we talk about my electrifying sex life?"

"Electrifying, what are you? Circus performers? Ew, NO! Whale was enough."

Mary Margaret giggled, "We were CURSED and that doesn't count. Never speak of that again. David still hates it whenever I have a doctor's appointment."

"Unreal."

"Looks like I owe Red twenty bucks."

"You and Ruby were betting on my sex life? Creepy."

"You seriously couldn't have waited until _after _Christmas? Sheesh."

Once their laughter died down, Mary Margaret gripped her hand urgently. "Just promise me, you'll be careful, ok?" At Emma's nod, her mother sat up straighter. "I'll have you know that the second bear claw in that bag is MINE."

"Hah!" Emma took it out anyway though and placed it on a napkin in front of her mother. "So you really are… ok… with all of this."

Mary Margaret stared down at her pastry, nodded slowly and exhaled, "I am 'ok' with all of this. My daughter, the product of true love, doing the 'nasty' with my former mortal enemy."

"Gah, MOM… and here I thought Snow White was supposed to be as 'pure as the driven snow'."

"Yeah, well….that was before she met your father," Mary Margaret giggled.

Emma suddenly, and desperately, wanted to stick pieces of bear claw in her ears.


	6. Chapter 6: Henry's Little Secret

**Chapter 6: Henry's Little Secret**

The yellow Volkswagen was parked on Mifflin Street a little ways down the street from the mayoral mansion. Like the moniker, people in town still called Regina's house that as well. Emma sat behind the wheel and peered at the house, like if she stared hard enough she could will Regina to come outside. The car was starting to get cold since she had been sitting there for quite a while thinking about what her next move should be.

A few days had passed since Mary Margaret's visit to the station and that had given Emma some time to truly think things through and contemplate on what she wanted out of life. Of course, she also had her parents back at the apartment, constantly offering their love and support. At first it was a little frightening, but truth be told, Emma was slowly starting to warm to the idea that she finally had parents around to badger her and meddle.

She snorted at the memory of bringing her dad up to speed on what was happening with her recently, Mary Margaret standing by for support. She could tell it was killing Mary Margaret a little to keep the secret from her husband, but she would have gladly done it for Emma's sake. However, Emma had convinced her that it was okay and that David knew she was an adult. Her smile faded when she remembered just how intense the discussion had turned.

_"She…she…" David's shocked eyes darted between his daughter and his wife repeatedly, "…they…" then his eyes settled on Emma, "…Regina?" He leaned on the counter for stability. His smile seemed forced and he huffed, "Honestly, I think WHALE was easier to take."_

_"Oh for Heaven's sake!" Her mother threw her hands up in the air. "We were CURSED! Get over it already!"_

_He waved his hand at Snow dismissing the whole Whale issue and studied Emma. "I didn't know you were… into women." It didn't sound judgmental, just curious._

_Emma smiled at her parents, "Yeah, well, there are still some things that you don't know about me." Mom and Dad exchanged questioning looks and nodded in acknowledgment._

_"We still love you. No matter what." Emma turned to her mother, after that was said, and smiled in gratitude._

_"What about Hook?" David asked the $64 million question. "I mean, he still thinks that you and he are together."_

_"Yeah and I know that's partially my fault. I might have led him on just a little bit."_

_"A little bit? He follows you around like a lovesick puppy dog." Then David shrugged. "I was just starting to kind of like him."_

_That got Mary Margaret's attention and she scrunched her face in displeasure. "You're kidding?"_

_"What? You were more excited about their date than I was, remember?"_

_"It was my first time watching my daughter go out on a date. I just had a baby. I was emotional! Sue me." Then she turned to Emma. "If he was going to be your choice, of course I would have learned to live with it, but I can't say I am less than thrilled that you might be letting him go." She turned to David then. "He's always _leering. _It creeps me out."_

_"You guys," Emma interrupted. "This isn't about Hook. This is about Regina. And me."_

_David looked at his wife then and just stated, "She killed your father and has spent most of your adult life trying to kill you. Her mother killed your mother." Mary Margaret chewed the side of her cheek and Emma wanted to jump in and defend Regina, but nothing that was said was a lie. Regina had done all that and more and one would think that somehow knowing that would have turned Emma off from having these feelings for the woman but they just seemed to intensify them. _

_Emma had always known who Regina was and what she was capable of, but since their first meeting she had also learned of the woman "behind the evil queen" and strangely enough understood her. Emma may not have gone around condemning people to death but she has certainly done her fair share of horrible deeds and dishonest things. She was a thief, had picked her share of fights, had physically hurt people and had spent time in prison. No one was 100% good or 100% bad. That was something she didn't think her parents understood fully. Well, she suspected her mom might have an inkling these days. She'd noticed a small change in her mother after Cora died. It was a look she knew well, a tortured soul. It's something one learns to live with but it's not something one easily comes back from._

_David seemed to sense Emma's protectiveness and held up a hand. "Hey, I am just throwing it out there. If this is going to happen, all this needs to be said."_

_Her mother spoke up first. "Yes. Yes, she did those things. But I've tried to kill her too. And my mother ruined her mother's chances of happiness and made Cora give up her baby, ruining Zelena's life in the process. My father married a young heartbroken girl he didn't love, nor did he show her much affection. Though he did it for me, I know he did it for me, he robbed her of love. It doesn't justify her killing him. I loved him. But when I think of poor Regina, having to be with a man, have sex with a man, who didn't want her or love her, my heart breaks." Then on an exhale Mary Margaret said, "And then, you know, I killed her mother."_

_David and Emma looked at each other and they were about ready to interject in her defense, but Mary Margaret put her palms up. "No, I know. It had to be done. And even though Regina and Cora did not have the greatest relationship, Cora was still her mother." Snow White smiled sadly, "Regina and I have this… complicated history… and I have often wondered when we were going to stop hurting one other?" She lowered her head but after seconds, and in sudden hope, looked at Emma then, "Maybe this is HOW!" She took her daughter's hand smiling widely, like she had just solved all the problems of the world. "You ARE the savior."_

_"Whoa… what?" Emma's eyes bulged at what her mother said. She glanced up at her dad to find David leaning against the counter again._

_But once Mary Margaret got started, those wheels in her head turning, there was no stopping her. She was on an ever-loving happy rant on hope and love. "Don't you see?! David! I was the catalyst. Regina's unhappiness, this whole thing, started with me. It seems only fitting that it would end with me giving birth to the person who could bring Regina's love and happiness back!" Her mother's eyes looked like they were going to pop out of her head._

_"Okay, that is way too much fucking pressure." Emma said after long moments of silence. _

_"Great, Snow, you spooked her." Then he instructed his daughter, "Don't mind your mother. Fairytale princesses. They have a flare for the dramatic."_

_Mary Margaret scoffed and hit him in the arm, "Says the town sheriff who would rather wield his sword than a pistol."_

_More silence. Then David gathered himself and walked over to his wife, placing his hands on her arms and looked lovingly into her beautiful face. "Are you okay with this? With them together? It's not a little…'incestuous'?" Emma cringed and it looked like Mary Margaret might give her husband another whack._

_"Regina and I are not blood related, David. And as I told Emma already, I don't consider Regina my step mother and have not for a long, _long,_ time now. So ´no´, it is not the least bit 'incestuous'," Her mother mockingly lowered her voice to imitate her father. Emma could not help but have a new found respect for the brunette who was once her friend, now her mother, but somehow had always been family. Snow White had a snarky streak. _

_"And yes, I am okay with this," she placed her hands on his forearms and rubbed, "I support our daughter. WE support our daughter." She smiled at Emma and thought more about the issue at hand, "Besides, Regina's changed. She's… different. I see her now."_

_"What do you mean?" Emma prodded while watching her mother worry her bottom lip with her teeth._

_Mary Margaret looked up at her daughter again. "I am the only one in Storybrooke who knew Regina before she became the Evil Queen. I know who she once was. For the longest time I thought that woman was dead, but, sometimes now I can see the Regina I used to know."_

Emma looked at the house again and then the time on her phone. 11:30am. David told her to take some time for herself and that he would hold down the station in town. If he needed her, he would give her a ring, but it seemed like Storybrooke was disaster free. Emma learned from living here that if there was a reprieve from imminent doom, appreciate the calm. So, she sat, outside Regina's house, pining.

Her iPhone screen lit up with a txt message and Emma figured it David, needing her back at the station, until she read the message.

**Regina: So are you going to sit outside all day, Sheriff Swan, or are you coming in? I must say I am skeptical that this is the best use of taxpayer money. I've just brewed a pot of coffee and I pulled a peach pie out of the oven earlier this morning.**

Emma smiled brightly and excitedly pulled her keys out of the ignition. She was going to get to see and talk to Regina and the thought elated her. She started to type quickly in the text box and hit Send.

**Emma: I'm on my way.**

* * *

"I'm actually glad you came by, Miss Swan." Regina set a slice of pie and a cup of coffee on the kitchen table in front of her guest. "Relieved, actually." Regina walked to the kitchen island and leaned against the edge wondering where to begin. It had been a few days since she had seen Emma and, honestly, she had missed her. "There's something you and I need to do together."

The young blonde became immediately distracted by the bite of pie she forked into her mouth and she rolled her eyes skyward in delight. "Regina, this is… oh my GOD…" and she quickly added another bite, bewitched by the deliciousness. The corner of Regina's mouth quirked up at the sheer adorableness of the young sheriff. She realized the direction of her thoughts and shook her head as if attempting to bring herself back to focus.

"I'm glad you like it."

"Like it? I'm in love!" Then Emma looked at her with a deer in headlights look, "Um, with your cooking."

_Adorable. _"Would you like a scoop of ice cream with it?"

Emma eyes widened in earnest. "Do you have to ask? Please!"

Regina chortled and walked to the freezer and grabbed a pint of vanilla bean ice cream. Spoon in hand, she walked toward Emma pulling the top off. She placed the container on the table and began to scoop, noticing all the while the vibrations that seemed to pass between her and the young blonde. Had it always felt like this when they were in each other's personal space? Her side was so close to Emma's head, she could smell the blonde's shampoo and the clean scent that was all Emma.

Emma lifted her plate and Regina tried not to notice that Emma's intense stare never left her face. As soon as the scoop of ice cream touched the side of the warm pie, it began to melt, much like Regina's self-control. She was running out of reasons why she should not just grab the sheriff by her collar and kiss out her frustrations.

_Focus. Focus. Focus._ She pulled herself away, walked over to the freezer and returned the ice cream to its place. She went to one of the drawers and pulled out the topic of their conversation. Emma was too busy enjoying her pie and ice cream, with a big smile, that she paid no attention until Regina dropped the object onto the table with a resounding thwack.

She watched Emma's eyes bulge out of her head in shock at the pornographic magazine in front of her, the front cover split between a lesbian couple and a heterosexual couple. Emma picked up the magazine and it randomly opened to a spread of two women in several different positions. And here Regina thought that Emma's green eyes could get no wider. Glancing over her shoulder, Regina blushed suddenly wondering if the Sheriff remembered engaging in a few of those positions with her, especially the memorable one where they were matched equally giving and receiving pleasure at the same time. She placed a hand over her stomach as if to calm herself at the memory. Neither one of them lasted long in that position, if memory served correctly.

"Well," Regina began, clearing her throat, "What do you have to say?"

Emma looked in puzzlement from the magazine to her and back to the magazine again before replying, "Um… thank you?"

Regina swallowed a laugh. Of course, the blonde was confused. "No Sheriff Swan, I am not _giving _it to you. It's Henry's."

Emma's eyes flew up to hers. "Holy shit!" She thumbed through the magazine rapidly. "Where…?"

"It was under his bed. Well, peeking out from under his bed. I went in to put his laundry away and I discovered it."

"What did you do when you found it?" Emma had an amused smile on her face.

"You mean _after _I resisted the urge to toss it in the air and blow it to smithereens? I put it back."

"You put it back?"

"Well, I didn't know what to do. This isn't like finding unwanted candy in his room or finding out that he's been sneaking out and lying to me," she pointedly glared at Emma with the reference of the first year they met. "This is… this is delicate. Besides, I went to the window to get some fresh air and saw you parked down the street. I took the magazine down to the kitchen with me waiting to discuss it with you. How was I to know that it would take you two hours to get to my front door?"

Emma blushed profusely. She set the magazine down. "Relax. We'll talk to him."

"And say what?"

"Regina, this is natural. He's a teenage boy. They _do _stuff, you know? This was bound to pop up sooner or later. Just be thankful you found it without him around instead of accidentally 'walking in on him' with it." That implication had the color draining from Regina's face. It took some amount of effort for Emma not to giggle at the look on the poor woman's face. "Yeah, just so you know, at this age, it is now more important than ever that you knock on his bedroom door before opening it."

"Miss Swan, I think I am going to be ill."

Emma got up quickly and grabbed Regina around the hips and had the woman sit in her chair.

"It's okay, it's alright… breathe," Emma started to massage Regina's shoulders. "We'll deal with it. When our son comes home, we'll talk to him, okay?"

Regina felt part of the burden lift and again she was grateful that she didn't have to parent Henry alone. How ironic that all she had so desperately wanted that first year they was to be rid of Emma Swan, but these days she was grateful that the blonde didn't let the mayor chase her away. As if her thoughts were read, Emma bent and whispered into her ear, giving her spine a delectable shiver. "I'm here. You're not alone. We're in this together."

* * *

Emma got off the phone with her father later that afternoon who assured her that the town was safe and sound. She had also taken the opportunity to fill him in on this latest development with Henry at which point David had gotten a good laugh at Emma and Regina's expense.

_"I am so glad that I didn't have to go through puberty with you!" He gibed. "That would have totally been Snow's department, and yes, I would have been a coward at that for sure."_

_"How valiant of you, Dad, really. Though I'm sure your department would have probably been suitors."_

_"Absolutely. I think I would have taken any young men coming to court you straight to the armory, where I would have sharpened my side and said, 'let's talk about intentions and morals…'."_

_"Enchanted Forest style."_

_"Exactly."_

Emma shook her head ever so glad again that she didn't grow up in the Enchanted Forest. Of course she would have rather had her parents, but knowing what she knew now, it would have been horrible growing up without TV, grilled cheese, and _bathrooms._

It was late afternoon and Henry was due home any minute. Yesterday, he had called Emma and had her on speakerphone with him and Regina. He asked if he could start walking home from school with his friends. He had a couple of them that lived in the area. Jefferson, formally known as the Mad Hatter, and his daughter Grace lived nearby as well as a few of Henry's other classmates. He thought he was too old to be picked up by one of his moms every day, unless it was raining of course. They had discussed it, as a family she noticed, and she and Regina agreed that they could try it, much to their son's delight. After he had gone and left the two women to talk, she could hear the hesitancy in Regina's voice. She knew that this was hard on Regina. Though Emma was very grateful to have had the last few years with her son and one whole year with just her and him in New York, where she was a fulltime mom, Regina was the one who had raised him from infancy. During that lost year, she knew that the memories that she had of Henry as a baby were all Regina's and because of that, she could sense what Regina was going through now. Her little boy was growing up.

Regina came into the study and took a seat next to Emma on the couch. _The scene of the crime._ They seemed to think of that at the same time and they shared a knowing look, but said nothing. _She is just so…captivating. _Emma had always thought Regina was attractive, very well put together physically, and very stylish. Honestly a person would have to be dead not to notice the appeal of Regina Mills, but she was drawn so predominantly now to Regina than she ever had before and if she didn't know any better, she would think it was magic or something.

Regina's eyes darted to Emma's lips and she absently moistened her own lips with the tip of her tongue and Emma had to hold back a groan.

"I talked to my Dad," Emma said instead, fighting the urge to lean forward and suck Regina's lower lip into her mouth for a nibble, "and he said that he'd be happy to help out in any way he can. You know, with Henry, if Henry has any questions about _stuff_."

Regina nodded in understanding. "That was very kind of him. I am sure Henry will appreciate the support and perspective of his grandfather if needed." Then Regina worried that bottom lip, Emma had wanted to nibble on, between her own teeth. Emma wanted to groan again and just closed her eyes and felt a lustful tremor course through her body. She opened her eyes and Regina was purposefully peering at her. "Do your parents know?"

"Yeah. I didn't think you would mind since Henry is their grandson and all and David could be a huge help."

"No," Regina clarified, a flush creeping up neck, "…about what happened between us."

"Oh. Oh. Um. Yeah."

"You told them?"

"Well…." Emma was uncertain if Regina was irritated or not, "You KNOW my mother. She could tell that something was bothering me and, then there was our hug in town, and you know how small towns are, so it was only a matter of time before she was going to start pushing for information."

"I see. Yes, I understand." Regina nodded, uncomfortably shifted, pursed her lips and turned to peruse the fire. "So you were bothered?"

Emma was caught up in how the firelight made Regina's eyes sparkle that it took her a moment to comprehend the conversation. "Hmm? What?! No! Not at all, Regina." Regina tilted her head and shot a curious glance at the blonde. Emma was starting to feel misunderstood and she suddenly felt like she wanted to just lay all her cards on the table. This back and forth with Regina was growing tiresome, they had been doing it for a long time now she had realized, and Emma Swan was tired of playing this game. "Regina, I just meant that you have been on my mind, non-stop, since this all happened." It was now or never. "Look, for whatever reason it happened, I've been able to think about nothing else except you… and me." She scooted closer to Regina. "I know the timing is kind of shitty, but, I want to explore this. Lately, I have been wracking my brain for excuses to see you and when I do see you, I want to grab you, hold you to me and kiss you senseless until we are both naked and begging. NOT being able to do that has been bothering me."

"Miss Swan…" Regina began, face flushed and chest heaving with what Emma gladly assumed was arousal.

"And that's another thing. Can you stop with the 'Miss Swan' crap? Because all it does is _challenge_ me to hold you down and do _things _to you that will make you say my _first_ name… over and over again." Emma's lips were only inches from hers and Regina's lashes fluttered as her chocolate brown eyes moved repeatedly from green eyes to pink lips.

All of a sudden they heard the front door open and slam. They were both up and rushing out of the study to see Henry, clearly in a dark mood rushing up the stairs not wanting to speak to anyone. "Henry?" Regina tried as the doorbell immediately rang. She threw a questioning look at Emma and went to answer the door, as they heard Henry's bedroom door slam.

Emma was at a loss for words what could have possibly made their son so upset, but then Regina opened the front door and on the stoop, dressed all in black, was Killian Jones.


	7. Chapter 7: Off the Hook

Chapter 7: Off the Hook

Regina coolly glared at the pirate who sauntered through the doorway with an arrogant gate. Rolling her eyes, she closed the door behind him.

"Your majesty", he saluted sarcastically as he walked up the stairs and Emma could see Regina's temper simmering.

"Hook, aren't you cruelly depriving a village somewhere of its idiot?"

"I am looking for m'lady." Regina's eyes rolled into an impatient look for Emma.

Emma sighed and when he saw her, he gave her a lewd grin that made her stomach turn. "There you are, love." He walked right over, swept her into his arms and gave her an emphatic kiss, though Emma tried her best to hold him off. She supposed he was trying to be sexy but it was not working for her. When they separated, Emma noticed Regina standing there, arms crossed, with a stormy look in her eyes.

"Killian, now is not a really good time. Regina and I need to speak to Henry."

"Ah, Henry yes." He loosened his grip on Emma but not by much, though she tried to wiggle free from his grasp. "So this is a _family_ thing, is it?"

"Yes," Regina added, uncrossing her arms and prowling, dangerously, toward him like a powerful predator toward its prey. _Now THAT is sexy! _It reminded Emma of the Evil Queen and it quite literally took her breath away. "And you're intruding."

"What are you doing here, Killian?"

"Well I saw young Henry at the bus stop and when I asked about you, he told me that you were here and I wanted to see you so I accompanied him and his mates home."

Emma and Regina shared a curious look.

"Did anything happen on the way home," Emma asked.

"What did you do to my son," Regina demanded.

"I assure you, Your Majesty, I did nothing. I didn't even walk with the lad and his mates." Emma felt that they were less than a full minute away from an enraged Regina using magic to give Hook a tail or something. "I hung back and ended up walking with the lass."

"What lass?"

Hook shrugged, "Greta, Grizela…"

"Grace?" Regina and Emma asked at the same time.

"GRACE! Yes, that's it."

Emma and Regina nodded at each other meaningfully. "It's Grace. The 'friend'." Emma said.

"Yes," Regina agreed and then gave Hook a sour look. "Could you not have just left them all alone?"

"I did! I didn't ask any of them to walk with me. Can I help it if females find me roguishly handsome and tend to just gravitate to me?"

"Seriously?" Regina looked at Emma disbelievingly as if to ask, _"This is who you choose to cavort with?"._

"Regina- "

"What?" Hook inquired of Regina, obviously still clueless about his part in Henry's foul mood. "Is that a look of silent insult towards me, Your Majesty?"

"Oh, I'd very much like to insult you, Hook, but I'm afraid that you wouldn't understand me."

"Regina, can you please give Killian and I a moment alone?" Emma interrupted them before they could launch into a verbal sparring match. She very much wanted to just deal with Killian, get this over with, and resume whatever was about to happen in that study with Regina.

Regina looked from the pirate to Emma, silently fuming. "Fine. I will check on Henry." As she took the first step to the flight of stairs leading to the bedrooms she aimed a parting shot at Hook, "You are a parasitic lech."

"Oh don't hold back, love," Hook sneered moving closer to Emma for Regina's benefit. He knew what he was doing and it only angered Emma further, "Tell me how you really feel, Your Majesty."

Regina turned when she was higher up with a mocking smile. "Why don't I show you by tearing you limb from limb?"

"I always knew you wanted my body, Regina, but there's no need for violence. Unless you like it that way."

Emma bit her tongue to keep her scathing remark from coming out. _Not until we are alone._

Regina slanted her head at him in derision and disgust. "You are a libidinous buffoon. You never QUIT do you, Hook?"

"Alas, I don't know the meaning of the word." He returned brashly.

Regina smirked with her most imposing Evil Queen look. "Yes, well. I'm not surprised. You don't know the meaning of most words."

She then looked at Emma with softer eyes and Emma felt with just that glance, Regina had touched something within her. Then she was gone.

A 5-alarm fire was raging angrily within Emma when Hook turned around with a pompous snigger. "Hah, the Evil Queen, always a riot. She- "

He didn't get to finish however because Emma furiously shoved him and he lost his balance. "You're such an ASSHOLE!"

"Swan, what the-" another shove from Emma. Then she turned on her heel because she couldn't stand the sight of him. How could she have even entertained the idea that she could be with him?

"This isn't working, Killian."

"What?" He said it quietly. Softly. She saw his face fall, and a flicker of the man behind the Hook, the glimpses of good she had seen in him before. However, that person still just wasn't enough for her. She knew that now with absolute certainty. "But, you said. You told me I mattered. Outside that infernal diner."

"I did. I know…"

"And your goodbye kiss, the curse."

"I know. I KNOW! Things were emotional. People were going to die. Things are different now. When we first met, I knew, I KNEW that you were not the one for me. But you kept pushing, and pushing that I think I gave up and let you in. But it wasn't what I truly wanted."

Emma watched the muscles in his jaw clench as he circled her. "And what is so different now, Swan?" Emma sighed and was reluctant to say because this was really between her and him and no one else. No matter what happens between her and Regina, she knew things could not continue the way they have been with Killian. He glanced up the stairs and then back to her, eyes narrowed. "Swan, answer me this. Where the hell were you a few nights ago? That night you didn't answer any of my calls. Who were you with?"

"This has nothing to do with that."

"The hell it doesn't! You gave me back my heart that night. You held it in your hands, you put it in my chest, and then you went to _her_." Emma could do nothing but nod in return.

"I am in love with Regina."

Hooks eyes flashed wildly. "Oh, isn't this precious, the savior and the Evil Queen?" He bitterly turned his back on her as if trying to collect his thoughts. "I came to New York to help you."

"I know that. And I am grateful."

"I sold my ship for you."

"I know." She didn't ask him to, but she couldn't say that. It was an amazing sacrifice for a pirate captain to make and she was deeply touched when he told her.

"Killian, I'm sorry, I don't want to hurt you, but I don't want to lie to you either. It's not fair to either one of us."

"So you feel nothing for me then?"

"Nothing that would constitute us being more than just friends," Emma replied, and when Hook lifted his eyes in question, she added, "NO benefits."

He smiled wryly. "So this is where your heart truly lies?"

She nodded.

"Well, how can I fault you? Women are soft, delightful, wonderful creatures," He moved closer to her their faces close and he said, "If you ever need a 3rd, please call on me." Then his gaze focused on something above her for a brief second before he grabbed her by her arms and kissed her passionately. She felt his tongue try to invade her mouth and she pushed him off and before she could say anything, she heard a throat clearing and turned.

There in the middle of the flight of stairs stood Regina, posture stiff and regal, with daggers in her eyes.

"Sheriff, that business we were going to attend to this evening will have to wait for another time. Henry is too upset to talk. You may go home." And with that she turned and disappeared up the stairs.

"Ah, dismissed by Her Royal Majesty. Are you sure you'd rather not return to my room with me, Swan?"

Emma glared at Hook, ready to punch him, "You are such an ass!"


	8. Chapter 8: To Kiss A Thief

**This chapter contains sexual content.

**Chapter 8: To Kiss a Thief**

Regina sat at her vanity brushing her hair. It had been a few hours since Emma and Captain Dunderhead left. After she had discharged them distastefully, she had heard the door open and slam. She had gone to check on Henry one more time and decided to take a nice hot bath to try and soothe the storm of emotions coursing within her. Witnessing Emma and Hook amorously embrace one another nauseated and disgusted her. What Emma Swan saw in Killian Jones she would never know! With a sigh, she stood and slipped into her favorite magenta silk robe, the one Emma had ogled her in that infamous morning. She smiled in spite of herself.

She padded down the hall and was about to turn the knob on Henry's door when she remembered what Emma had said. She paused and then knocked. "Henry?" She rapped on the door with her knuckle again.

"Come in," she heard softly after a minute.

She slowly opened the door and found her son lying across his bed, belly down, and face turned away from her. "Henry, are you hungry? I was going to make something quick tonight. How about a sandwich?"

"No thanks." He was holding one of his action figures in his hands, this one a Star Wars character, Boba Fett, and she was still amazed that she knew something like that, and wouldn't it be funny if others did too. _The Evil Queen is a Star Wars geek._

"You've got to eat something. I doubt you've eaten since lunch." Silence. Regina sat on the edge of his bed and stroked his back in a soothing motion. They had not discussed what had been bothering him earlier, though she suspected it was Hook's fault. _Everything is Hook's fault. _"I'll tell you what. Tonight we'll make an exception. I am going to go downstairs to the kitchen, make a simple, yet satisfying, dinner for you and you can eat it here in your room, just this once. Okay?"

"You're going to let me eat in my room?" That got his attention.

"Yep."

"Even though I'm not sick or anything?" Henry threw a surprised look over his shoulder. Regina smiled and nodded and he scrunched his forehead, "Are YOU sick or something?"

She laughed and stroked his back in quicker strokes, "No, it's just been… a trying day. I'm too tired to cook. So, how about it? Turkey sandwich…?"

"With Havarti cheese?"

The brunette chuckled and got up from the bed. "Absolutely. I'll bring it up shortly."

As she was turning to leave, she heard a "Mom?" in a pensive tone.

"Yes, Henry?"

"Can I ask you something?"

"Certainly."

"I know YOU don't like him, but as far as guys go, you know to women in general, is Hook hot?"

Of all the questions she was expecting, that one was so out of left field it took her aback, and then made her cringe.

"Excuse me?"

"You know… is Hook what women want, as looks go." Regina's mouth was opening and closing awkwardly and her eyes rolled. Henry took his mother's silence as a need to explain further. "I overheard Jessica and Mya telling Grace at school that Hook was a total hunk with a body that won't quit…"

"And a brain that won't start." Regina muttered under her breath. Hook was a "hunk" alright. _A hunk of steaming horse dung._

"What?" Henry turned, facing her more and was now lying on his side.

Regina waved off her remark and sat on his bed again. "I can assure you, Henry, that Killian Jones is the ugliest vilest person on the face of the planet. While a person may be physically pleasing to the eye, what matters is the beauty that a person holds inside them."

"I think Grace likes him. She left us to talk with him."

And there is was. Regina bit back her resentment of Hook to concentrate on Henry. This was about Henry. "I see…" Regina suddenly wished Emma was there. She felt so out of her element right now. She would even take Mary Margaret's presence at this point. "That doesn't, necessarily, have to mean anything, you understand, right?"

"What do you mean?"

"Henry, I've had to talk to a great many people as mayor and it did not mean that I romantically liked any of them. Talking between two people sometimes is just talking. You should not jump to conclusions."

"But Jessica and Mya both say he is so charming. And Ma likes him."

Regina felt her stomach drop. "Yes, well… you are also charming… a different kind of charming; a less slimy and gross charming. Your charm is better, believe me."

"You have to say that. You're my mom."

"I mean every word! Henry, you are a handsome young man, honest, smart, courageous, optimistic, always believing in the goodness of others. Do you know how powerful that is to the people around you? Those of us who are privileged enough to get to share your life with you? And, you know, again… the heart of the truest believer! Henry, you have saved us all. And if a person can't see all the wonderful things that I see in you, well frankly, you shouldn't want to be with them."

The corners of his mouth lifted. A smile! Maybe she did something right after all, Regina thought. Then, she knew she had when Henry launched himself into her arms. "Thanks, mom. You're the best." Then he let her go and looked sheepishly at her, "Um. May I still eat in my room?"

"So you can read comic books all night? Yes. But no comics until your homework is done."

"Yeah, ok. I'm going to hop in the shower now. I'm kind of tired. Think I might go to bed early."

"Wow," Regina feigned shock, "…a shower and an early bed time without being told. It must be my lucky night!" When she moved to tickle him, he thumped her shoulder with his bed pillow. It reminded her of the pillow fights they engaged in when he was a young child, laughing mirthlessly with her as she tackled him around his middle and would tickle him until he was cackling with tears in his eyes. Now, he was taller and definitely much stronger, so, instead of tackling, she lovingly ruffled his hair. She was already feeling much better.

* * *

An hour later, Regina was returning to the kitchen, where dinner was waiting for her. She had just delivered a sandwich to her son, who was in much better spirits, headphones in, with a text book open on his bed, atop a comic book. Yeah, right he was studying, but she was confident he would get his homework done. She liked to look it over in the morning so she could stay abreast of what he was learning in school as well as to have topics to discuss with him from time to time. Truthfully, it had also been the best way to educate herself about the world they were living in.

Walking into the kitchen she headed straight for the counter top and noticed with consternation that half her sandwich was missing. Instinctively she looked all around, beside the plate and around the floor. She picked up her plate and walked around the kitchen, then the living room and the foyer. Did Henry take her sandwich? She was passing the study when she noticed the fire blazing in the hearth, warm and welcoming, but she had no recollection of making a fire. Glimpsing through the doorway, it appeared empty. She stepped through and confusedly wandered to the fireplace and stared down at the fervid flames.

"That robe has got to be the _sexiest_ thing I have ever seen on you," came a voice from somewhere behind Regina. She spun and saw Emma Swan, who had been fully concealed by the high back of the loveseat, lying there with her half-eaten half a sandwich in the blonde's hands. "…besides your smile."

"Miss Swan- !" Regina was speechless. Emma crossed her bare feet at the ankles and hung them over the arm rest, taking another bite of the sandwich.

"This is _really _good," she complimented as she held the quickly disappearing item up for display, "…you should try it."

"I had fully intended to, Miss Swan. What are you doing in my home?"

"I'm eating…" the younger woman said matter of factly, "and enjoying the fire." She then gave Regina an insightful expression. "It is so roomy here. It's pretty packed at my place. And loud! I love my baby brother and all, but the kid is like a car alarm that poops." Then Emma flirted, "You wouldn't happen to be taking in any boarders would you?"

Just the thought of Emma Swan living under the same roof, sleeping in a spare bedroom, showering in one of her bathrooms, walking around in nothing but a towel, had Regina flushing impossibly darker. Instead she cleared her throat and ignored the sinful look the sheriff threw at her.

"I meant, what are you doing here, at this time of night, eating my sandwich? We had said our goodbyes hours ago."

"You may have meant goodbye, but it's not what you said." Emma popped the rest of the sandwich into her mouth and slapped her hands together in a wiping motion. "You said that I 'may' go home," she shrugged, "and it sounded like a choice to me, so I stayed."

Regina smirked, shaking her head. The nerve of Miss Swan. Why did she find it so damn appealing? She chose to sit in the leather arm chair adjacent to the couch, facing it. Her robe rode up her thighs, exposing her supple skin to Emma's line of sight and Regina noticed her eyes darken in desire. _Well two can play this game. _She took a bite of her sandwich and when a small drop of mayo was left on her finger, she brought it to her mouth and slowly licked it off. She thought she had heard a groan from the couch accompany the sound of the crackling fire, but she wasn't certain.

"So," she ripped a bite size morsel of bread and paused before it touched her lips, sending a coy glance at Emma, "…you've been here the whole time? What a horrible host I've been."

"I was alright. A little hungry before. But I had an apple from the bowl in the kitchen. I figured it was safe since you wouldn't have poisoned apples lying around with Henry here and his friends coming over more nowadays."

"Still, had I known I would have offered you… something." Regina could see her teasing was hitting its mark as the look of longing crossed the blonde's features. She let that stew as she finished her sandwich and then sucked her fingers clean, one by one. Emma sat up now, eyes sparkling, and with a bearing that was so explosively sexy, it was effectively coaxing Regina to forget all her inhibitions.

The brunette became excited at the thought of a do-over of the other night, just the two of them without alcohol dulling the senses. She very much wanted to _feel _everything that happened between them and not just recall it from memory.

Regina moved the plate from her lap to the side table and situated herself, as regally as she could, arms laid out on the wide arm-rests, legs crossed, and with a come-hither look she asked, "Well, Miss Swan… are you _still_ hungry?"

Emma closed the distance so quickly she wondered if she had flown there. She was leaning over Regina, hands propped near her arms on the arm-rests. The brunette was driving her insane with desire. She brought her face close now, their lips inches apart. "I'm starved." Emma replied and her eyes darted to Regina's lips, "but not for food."

There was no way the older woman could mistake the challenge in that. It was there, out in the open. _Do it. DO IT! _Emma was secretly urging Regina to make the first move, because it was going to have to be hers. After seconds of Regina searching her face, the brunette slowly tipped her head up, moving her lips even closer, parting them the closer she got. Right as Emma thought she was about to be kissed, Regina paused.

"I don't share," Regina said, looking into Emma's eyes meaningfully.

"I ended things today," Emma stated in a tone of finality, "I'm all yo-" _Yours. _Emma didn't get a chance to finish because Regina's hand pulled forcefully at the nape of her neck and had brought her down, crushing their lips together ardently.

The next thing the blonde knew, she was pulled to straddle the older woman's lap as her mouth was being plundered and when Regina began sucking on the tip of Emma's tongue she couldn't help but to moan and grind herself against the former mayor's lap.

Regina must have realized her need because the sheriff suddenly felt fingers adding pressure and then rubbing at the crotch of her jeans.

Emma tore her lips away for just a moment, "Fuck, Regina…" and Regina took the opportunity to journey her lips across her jaw and then she was sucking at her pulse point. When the brunette sucked harder and bit down, the younger woman's hips bucked and a "…YES…" escaped her mouth. To make up for the pain, the older woman soothed the purpling mark with her tongue. Regina drew back to see her handiwork and Emma could read how pleased she was at leaving her mark on the savior and that just made the blonde even wetter. Emma speared her fingers through Regina's hair and pulled her back up for a heated kiss, exploring the sweetness of Regina's mouth. When she heard the older woman whimper, Emma's hands moved to rest along the undersides of her breasts and she slowly brought her thumbs up and lightly flicked at Regina's nipples, the tips hardening immediately, through the silk robe. The older woman gasped into their kiss and moaned while her tongue licked Emma's more urgently and insistently. Emma thought she would come undone right there. _She's making those sounds again._

They were all tongues, lips and roving hands, stoking the fires of their passion, both taking and giving of each other when Emma felt Regina surprisingly try and push her away. "Emma," Regina's fingers were digging into her hips, grinding Emma's pelvis against her, "…wait..." then she halted its movement and Emma's mind screamed in protest. _No! _This is what Emma wanted, needed and had been yearning for within the last few days. She held the brunette's head in place as she gently nipped at Regina's bottom lip and ran her tongue across it. Regina answered with a moan, wrapped her arms around Emma's waist tightly and took Emma's tongue into her mouth and kissed her fervently back. Then Emma felt her arms unlatch and attempt to pull away again. "Emma, STOP!"

Emma ripped her lips away in disappointing defeat and let Regina slide out from underneath her wildly excited body. It was amazing that they were still fully clothed with Emma so close to climaxing, which was a first for her, to feel so excited and not be naked yet. She had never been so turned on by just kissing and mild petting. Regina did this to her. She knew it with absolute clarity and she also realized that being the reason why they were so explosive in bed together.

The older woman got up and plucked her robe into place, with an unreadable expression, before she started to walk out of the study and Emma looked up with hands raised in the "why me?" position, as she just perched haphazardly in the chair, the smooth leather warmed by Regina's body. She mourned the loss of Regina's closeness.

She was just about to get up resignedly when she watched Regina peer outside the study and then quickly closed the door and locked it. Hope soured through her.

"I would prefer it if our son didn't come downstairs and catch both his mothers _devouring _each other."

_Henry, duh! _Emma was a little disturbed with herself for not thinking of that as well. She remembered walking in on David and Mary Margaret once, actually with Henry, who was too young at the time to really know what was going on. He would know now, for sure, and she wouldn't want to traumatize the poor kid.

Regina sauntered into the middle of the room slowly rubbing her hands together in thought. With concentration she stared upward and raised her hands, fingers splayed, and Emma could feel the magic in the air. All four walls, ceiling and floor of the room shimmered for a few seconds and then returned to normal. _She is so HOT when she's casting spells!_

"What was that?"

"Silencing spell." _Holy fuck. _Emma felt a flutter in her stomach. That meant… "We can be as loud as we want."

"And Henry…"

"…won't hear a thing. He's probably wearing his headphones, anyway. At night, when I check on him before bed, he's asleep with the things blasting in his ears. It's incredible that he can sleep through all that rock music." She amended at Emma's look, "Oh don't worry. We can still hear him. He just can't hear us."

With excitement Emma got off the chair and sauntered toward the brunette, whose eyes were flashing with raw sexual need. Emma stood in front of her and gently placed her lips against Regina's for a few light kisses which were just as hot as the deep ones that included tongues and teeth. She fingered the knot in Regina's robe. "You have GOT to teach me that spell."

Regina answered by hooking her finger into the front of Emma's jeans and pulling her closer. "Miss Swan, I plan on teaching you quite a few things tonight." And then Regina was giving her one of those hot deep kisses.


	9. Chapter 9: Take Two

** This Chapter has sexual content.

**CHAPTER 9: TAKE TWO**

The full-moon light filtered through Regina's bedroom window casting a luminescent glow and the brunette woke from the most glorious dream of blonde locks fisted in her hands, a gently probing tongue coaxing her to peaks of utter delight and whispers of her name falling from soft lips. Opening her eyes, she happily realized that it wasn't a dream but a memory; a wonderfully lucid memory. She noticed how thoroughly sated her body was and how safe she felt wrapped up in the arms of her lover. They were in the same position now as they were that morning after their drunken night together; Emma half draped over her, the blonde's face buried in her neck, her breath, again, enticing Regina's skin.

Oh, but this time it was very different. This time, she could remember every single detail and it was marvelous. As if on cue, Emma stirred and wrapped her leg more firmly around Regina, rubbing her heat against Regina's thigh, and this time, the older woman was in no rush to put a stop to it. On the contrary, she wanted to enjoy Emma Swan all over again. Her hand began to stroke Emma's thigh purposefully as she placed kisses along her forehead. "Emma," she whispered, hoping to wake the young woman up. She nuzzled their noses together and kissed the tip. "Emma…"

"Mmm… R'gina…" Emma mumbled sleepily.

Regina smiled and rolled Emma onto her back, so that she was cradled in between the younger woman's thighs, and she brushed the corners of the blonde's mouth with her own. Then she placed tiny kisses on her eyelids and proceeded to move across her cheek and took Emma's earlobe into her mouth. The blonde was waking little by little and began affectionately stroking Regina's back, holding her and feeling their breasts pressed together. Emma placed her hands on Regina's bottom and, with a loving squeeze and Regina's sigh in her ear, pulled the older woman harder against her, setting them into a rocking motion. She drove her hands into the older woman's hair, tempting her lips from her earlobe to her mouth.

When the brunette's face hovered over hers, Emma gazed up at it in wonder, tenderly stroked some brown hair off Regina's forehead and then brought the older woman's mouth down to hers for a tantalizing kiss. It started slowly, with just lips, teasing, persuading one another's apart, seeking permission for entry and then their tongues came out to greet one another. The burgeoning heat in Regina's middle continued as their kisses became more insistent.

As Regina was slowly sliding against Emma's body in an age old rhythm, she could feel the young woman's nipples deliciously harden against hers and the sensation sent a wave of excitement straight through her. She broke the kiss with a long parting suck of Emma's bottom lip.

"You are so amazingly responsive, Miss Swan." Regina thrust her naked sex against Emma's, who delightfully gasped and clung to her tighter.

"So we're back to 'Miss Swan' now? I'm only 'Emma' when I am making you come hard and loud?" Emma raised her eyebrow.

Regina grinned coquettishly and made a reference to earlier, "Consider it a challenge."

Emma's eyes mischievously glittered and her slow smoldering smile sent a shiver of excitement coursing through the older woman's body with a level of fervency unlike anything she had ever felt with anyone before. "Challenge accepted," and with that Emma grabbed the brunette's shapely rear again and pressed their soft centers firmly together creating the necessary friction that had them both twitching and gasping for air.

"Oh… Emma…" Regina's eventual lusty sigh into the blonde's neck had Emma grinning victoriously, pulling the older woman's face up so she could smugly look at her.

She kissed Regina sweetly in between her gloating, "See?..." kiss, "…Say…" kiss, "…it…" nip, "…again…" lick. Emma's hands moved to Regina's front and she slowly rolled a nipple in each hand while flicking her tongue against Regina's bottom lip.

"Emma…" Regina groaned and the blonde speared her tongue past the brunette's voluptuous lips as a reward. The invasion was answered in kind, with the older woman slanting her head to deepen the kiss. Regina took full advantage of this distraction by stealthily bringing her hand down and brushing her eager fingers through Emma's slick folds making the younger woman enthusiastically cry out. Regina teased the blonde's opening and brought drenched fingers to circle her hooded sex. She watched Emma's eyes heat when Regina brought those same fingers to her lips, licking and sucking them clean.

"Regina, please…" the younger woman begged. Regina did the whole thing again, touching, teasing and then tasting and a loud expletive from Emma sounded through the room. It was a good thing that she taught Emma that silencing spell. It was a lot more fun teaching Emma magic while naked in bed than out on a decrepit bridge in the middle of nowhere that was for sure.

Regina gave her one last kiss then she started a journey down Emma's body. In her exploits she stopped and drew a turgid nipple into her mouth, sucking gently and then circling it with her tongue. Emma's hips jerked and continued to buck when Regina tweaked the other nipple with her fingers. Then she glanced up, saw the blonde looking down at her and with an evil grin, she switched sides. Emma's head fell back to the pillow and her hands were in Regina's hair holding the older woman to her. Next, with her tongue, the brunette trailed a wet line down the sheriff's middle, kissing the abdominal muscles as she passed and then she stuck her tongue in the savior's belly button, causing the savior to hiss and massage Regina's scalp pleadingly. The sounds Emma made, when she was fully aroused, were like sweet music to Regina's ears and she hoped to play this score over and over again by the time the morning sun came up.

After Regina gave a small nip at her hip she drew her mouth between Emma's legs. The former mayor laid soft tender kisses on Emma's mound and kissed around her outer lips and the crooks of her thighs as she pushed her knees up and back to open the sheriff up fully to her.

"You're teasing me now…" Emma playfully accused and then grunted when Regina tenderly sucked her outer labia. "Regina!"

"I consider them promises, Miss Swan. And I don't like being rushed." As if to emphasize that, she slowly licked her way over to the other side to draw it into her mouth for some attention as well and then she flicked her tongue over the blonde's sensitive flesh as well as placing closed mouth kisses over the blonde's wet folds, still not yet delving any deeper to where Emma really needed it most. Emma's fingers threaded into her hair, seeming to lightly pull her to where she wanted her and Regina just chuckled. She decided not to torture the blonde anymore, or herself since Emma's scent was entirely too enticing and her glistening softness beckoned to be taken by the brunette.

When she finally couldn't resist any longer, Regina spread Emma's folds and tongued her in one lapping stroke, earning a lusty cry from the blonde, who fisted the bed sheets in one hand and the brunette's hair in the other. Regina's eagerness brought her to the spot she craved and she buried her tongue deep into the blonde, thrusting it into her.

"Oh fuck… uhn… so good…" Emma approvingly cried, as Regina ran her tongue up and down her slit, Emma's moisture coated the brunette's lips and mouth, and the young woman's back arched when her bundle of nerves was played with in earnest. Then Regina sucked it into her mouth and alternated gentle sucking and stroking with the flat of her tongue, something she knew the savior already liked. "Oh my God… Regina… YES! You are so fucking GOOD at this." Hearing Emma's emphatic cries of pleasure went straight to Regina's core and made her arousal pool between her own legs.

She changed their position a little so that she put her weight on her forearm, Emma's thigh resting on her shoulder. Then with her fingers Regina dragged them through Emma's dripping velvety softness, lubricating her fingers for what was coming next. Emma mewled as Regina began to lick and suck again. "You are my new favorite flavor, Miss Swan. So absolutely succulent." Then she moaned with Emma between her lips and the vibration made the blonde's heels dig into the bed and her pelvis shoot up against the older woman's mouth so hotly that Regina thought she might come just from the act.

"Oh fuck, Regina…" She saw Emma's fingers move to her own nipples and start to flick and play with them, the sight arousing Regina even more. When Regina pressed her index finger and middle finger, to the second knuckle mark, into her entrance while also rubbing Emma's swollen nub with her thumb, Emma's hips automatically bucked trying to take more of her fingers in, and the older woman was excited to see the blonde pull at her nipples.

She couldn't resist. She climbed up the blonde's body, nudged the fingers away with her cheek and sucked one of Emma's tips hard in her mouth while deeply thrusting with both fingers avidly and continuing to thumb Emma's clit. She added a third finger while she tongue-flicked Emma's nipple for an even more heightened sensation.

"Oh, FUCK YES! Like that!"

Emma was close to her release and when Regina felt her face being pulled up to the same level as the blonde's, she saw the raw desire she felt reflected in those green eyes, as Emma's exquisite cries of pleasure inflamed Regina's appetite for her. Suddenly she felt Emma's hand dive between her legs and stroke her sopping heat. Regina realized that she herself was close to climax, and she cried out when she felt three fingers probe and penetrate her.

"You are so hot, Regina. So incredibly sexy and so wet for me," Emma muttered hotly against Regina's neck, her hips moving with each of the brunette's thrusts, and then she pulled back, her green eyes boring into brown ones, "I wonder how many thrusts it would take to make the Queen come for me?" The older woman was so turned on and breathing hot and heavy now, especially at the royal reference, and when, to her thrusting fingers, Emma added the heel of her palm on Regina's twitching wet sex, the older woman began moving faster and harder against it. Then the blonde pulled herself up just enough to whisper in her ear temptingly. "Shall we find out, _My Queen_?"

Immediately, Regina's mouth came down hard on Emma's and they were both thrusting, riding, kissing, licking, and loudly chanting each other's first names as they rushed to their powerful simultaneous earth shattering orgasms, coming hard and then collapsing together in a gratified heap.

* * *

Regina sat in a booth at Granny's reading the morning paper. It hadbeen three days since she and Emma had slept together, well - sober, and they had spent every night since tangled in her bed sheets pleasuring, satisfying, and laughing with one another. Regina couldn't remember the last time she was _this _happy. Emma was a skillful, passionate, extraordinary lover, who gave just as good as she got. There was honesty to their love making too. Without any conscious effort, she had allowed herself to be who she really was. Just Regina. There was no pretense. No pretending to be someone else. No hiding who she really was. Regina had been with her share of lovers, but none of them had this level of emotional fervor to offer with the great sex. Regina realized that with this amount of emotion accompanying it, sex could be wildly explosive and practically unforgettable.

A blush crept across her face at the memory of Emma pulling her fourth orgasm out of her last night, as Regina was sitting astride her head, atop that incredible mouth, and all that while addressing her as "My Queen" again and again. She wasn't sure why Emma had started to call her that in bed, and it wasn't every time but it was wildly arousing and usually set her off quite quickly. Regina guessed it just went to prove that the savior was so in tune with her; who she really was and how to fully please her. It made Regina feel… giddy, which is a word no one would have ever associated with the Evil Queen or the former mayor. She couldn't quite believe it and forced herself not to show that extreme happiness on her face in public now.

She took out her phone, allotting herself a tiny smile for show, and was just about to txt Emma with an invitation for lunch when at the top of her vision she saw two figures slide into the opposite side of the booth. Glancing up she found an apprehensive David and a wide grinning Mary Margaret.

"Oh no…"

"Hello, Regina."

"Don't you have a rugrat to breast feed somewhere?"

"He is spending time with his big sister." David cleared his throat. "We felt that maybe we should talk." Regina frowned and her eyes darted from his look of unease to Mary Margaret's smiling face.

"Does Emma know you're here?"

"Are you kidding," Mary Margaret said, "she'd probably kill us."

"Been there, tried that…" Regina rolled her eyes.

"You, see? This is what we thought we should talk about." David pinned Regina with a meaningful gaze.

"You want to know if I am going to try and kill you?"

"No." Mary Margaret cleared up. "But maybe we should have some sort of dialogue about this. I mean, we are her parents and well, we love her."

"Well I…" Regina was just about to say she loved her too until she stopped herself. _Love her? _David squinted his eyes at her and Mary Margaret's eyes bulged.

"You…." prompted Mary Margaret.

"I… have been waiting forever for my lunch!" And then to the counter she spat out, "How long does it take to make a grilled chicken salad?"

"Regina," began Mary Margaret taking her hand, "All we wanted to say is…" she knew she had to choose her words carefully. "That we know about you two, we love our daughter and we will always want to protect her, obviously, but we're ok with this. David?"

"Yeeeeeah…" He exhaled uncertainly, "But I'd still like to know what your intentions are."

Regina was at a loss for words at this whole new experience because it was so wildly outlandish and foreign to her. First of all, she'd never had to "meet the parents" before and she quietly admitted to herself that she found it highly unsettling. Thusly, she hoped to never have to do it again. Secondly, it being _this _set of parents would be entirely laughable, again, if it wasn't so unsettling.

Her disconcerted expression shifted from David to Mary Margaret, back to David, back to Mary Margaret then she just stared at the table top blinking. She shook her head. "I don't want Emma to get hurt either." They waited and she set upon them a directly genuine gaze. "Hurting your daughter is not my intention." Mary Margaret who was sitting closest to the window studied Regina at first but then smiled and nodded, as if that answer was good enough for her.

David though looked at Regina with inquiry. _Always the sheriff_. "What _are_ your intentions?" At that point, Regina was absolutely positive that "Meet the Parents" time was OVER! She had had enough. She narrowed her eyes and thought long and hard before she lowered her head closer to them, which caused them to lower their heads in confidence.

"My intensions are…" she confided with an evil grin, "…to give your beloved daughter all the ear-splitting _orgasms_ that she quiveringly begs me for."

Their reactions were priceless. Mary Margaret's eyebrows shot up, and was that a smile starting on her face? David just blinked with his mouth open like a fish.

"Ok. Good talk." David threw out uncomfortably and it seemed as if he couldn't get out of the booth fast enough and was practically out the door, leaving Mary Margaret to slide out of the booth on her own, patting Regina's hand as she exited.

After she watched them leave the diner, Mary Margaret trailing after an agitated husband, Regina shook her head in bewilderment. "Well that's 15 minutes of my life, I'll never get back."


	10. Chapter 10: Henry Knows

** This chapter contains sexual content

**Chapter 10: Henry Knows**

Emma was walking down the street in the middle of the afternoon when she heard Henry calling from behind her. "MA!"

"Hey kid," she turned around and walked backwards until he caught up with her. "What are you doing here with me and not walking home with your friends? I thought I was too _uncool_," she joked causing Henry to roll his eyes.

"I have to go to the library. I have to do a book report for school so I need to find a good one to read."

"I'll go with you." She had been meaning to check up on Belle to see how she was doing. She got most of her updates from Ruby.

Upon entering the library, the scent of old books drifted in the air. At the sound of guests, the pretty brunette appeared with a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "Hello… and what can I do for you two today."

"Hi, Granm… I mean Belle," Henry frowned at himself and Belle's mouth twitched into a half smile. Emma smiled at Belle in greeting and felt sorry for the kid. He wanted so badly for all of his family to come together. She could relate to that because she also had a deep seated longing for family when she was his age too. She had wondered almost instantly if there would ever come a time when they would all _be_ family. Herself, Regina, Henry, her mom and dad, _and_ Belle. Her next thought was just of Regina, Henry and herself and she had such a longing ache in her chest that she had to forcefully push that out of her head; file it away for another day.

"Hello, Henry," Belle said ruffling his hair fondly. "Now don't tell me. Book report." When he grinned she added, "A few other students have been in as well. We had some new fiction come in along the back wall over there.

"Thanks. Ma, I'm going to go check it out. Do you think you can give me a ride home after? You know, seeing as you have been practically living there?"

Emma's wide eyed shock had her shaking her head and Belle smiling toward the floor. "Wha….? No…" but she was silenced with his knowing stare. Belle's lifted eyes were darting between Emma and Henry,

"I swear, I don't know why you and Mom still think I'm like, ten. I see you sneaking out in the mornings. I'm old enough to know what goes on, you know." Emma wasn't sure what she was mortified at more, that Henry has known all along that she was spending the nights in Regina's bed or that this little scene was happening in front of Belle.

"Oh, yeah?" Emma stammered in retaliation, "Well… YOU… WE need to talk about what goes under your bed," her chin lifted. The color in his face drained. Regina was going to kill her.

"Um, Henry?" Belle tapped him on his shoulder to wake him up. "Go get your book." He turned and walked away but not before the color in his face returned in an angry shade of red.

When he disappeared, Belle gave Emma a sympathetic look. Emma opened her mouth and Belle seemed to read her mind. "It's okay," she waved off, "Don't worry. I won't tell a soul. We'll keep it in the _family_." She gave a little chuckle at the last bit.

"Yeah some family…the Evil Queen, the savior, Snow White, Prince Charming and Beauty and the Beast." Emma joked but then she caught herself and her head swayed in regret. "Crap, I'm sorry Belle. I didn't really think that comment through."

But Belle was waving it off like the comment didn't matter, but Emma suspected it was more likely for Emma to feel better. "I actually saw that animated film on television the other day. It was… cute. At least her beast turned into a prince at the end." There it was that forlorn carriage that she had seen Belle walking along the streets in for days now. She had moved her things to the small apartment in the library now and had been living there. She had since kept Gold's store locked up for now. Emma could understand that it might be bitterly painful for her to be there. The sheriff wanted to kick herself for not being more sensitive, but then the young woman tried to recover, "…and she gets to talk with her tea cup."

"I'm sorry, Belle. I truly am." Emma placed an arm on her shoulder. What else could she really say? This must not be easy for Belle. She wanted to believe the best of her husband only to be crushingly disappointed. "If there is anything you need, anything at all, let us know okay." Belle smiled. "You have family now, at least more family."

"Thank you." Belle smiled sincerely at that, "…and really I won't say a thing. To be honest, that whole thing with you and Regina, it's not as surprising as you might think."

"So I'm told." Did everybody in town have a feeling about her and Regina before they did? Were they the last ones to know?

"So it's true that you broke up with Hook."

"Yes."

"I can honestly say, that I am relieved, if you don't mind my saying so?"

"So you're not a fan of Hook either?"

"Not since he hit me and knocked me unconscious and then put a gun to my head, no, not so much."

"He what?! Like when? Why didn't you call us at the station?

"Oh…it was a long while ago."

Emma shook her head. "Seems like I've got a thing for the 'bad ones', huh?"

"Maybe it's the challenge of trying to change them?" Belle smiled wryly, obviously talking about herself. "But Regina seems to be on the right path now." She stroked Emma's arm supportively, "She has definitely come a long way from who she once was. She just needs to see it. Make her see it."

Emma smiled back at her nodding. "The thing is. I don't want to _change_ her, really. I mean, I like that she's not running around rampant, pulling out people's hearts and crushing them, but that woman, the Evil Queen is also a part of who she is. The person that I lo-" her eyes darted to Belle, "…care for. Everything that has ever happened to her, I hate all the bad stuff, but it made her who she is now. I just want to make her see that going forward she can be happy."

"Well, then I think you are going about it the right way…'caring' for her and all…" Oh, yeah. Belle had caught that slip. "Just keep at it. When I take a step back and think about it, there was never much happiness for her in the Enchanted Forest. There were some very dark times indeed."

"The more I hear about the place, the happier I am not to have been raised there."

"Oh it wasn't all bad. But I must admit, I've become pretty attached to the internet. The things you can learn and read on there. The information highway is quite impressive. Oh and Granny's hamburgers, of course… and french fries!"

"You should try dipping your fries in a chocolate milkshake, really good." Belle gave her a scrunched up look in disbelief and they shared a laugh.

Just then Henry came back and held a book out for Belle, "I'll take this one." He didn't seem as angry as before but Emma could tell he was still perturbed.

"C'mon kid, let's take you home," she affectionately put her hand around his shoulder and when he didn't move away, she thought that was a good sign.

* * *

When they walked into the mayoral mansion, a delicious aroma greeted them at the door. Whatever Regina was cooking smelled heavenly. She and Henry shared a huge eager grin before hanging their coats up in the coat closet.

Strolling into the kitchen, Emma's heart stopped at the sight of Regina barefoot, slipping a plain white apron from her body, and dressed in loose fitting yoga pants and a snug fitting long sleeve top. Emma's mouth had gone dry at the sight and her eyes bugged out when Regina flashed her most winning smile at them. She had never seen the mayor this casually dressed before. It was a powerfully alluring sight. If Henry weren't standing beside her, she suspected that she would have already pushed the brunette towards the table, perched her sexy bottom on it and done her very best to try and persuade the older woman out of her clothes.

"What smells so good, mom?" Henry inquired, waking Emma out of her lustful daydream.

"Well, I spent most of the day baking. I made chocolate chip cookies and oatmeal raisin cookies, most of which are boxed up for the lost boys. There is some remaining in the cookie jar in the cupboard. I also baked a pecan pie for dessert and when you txted me and told me you were going to go to the library and that Emma would bring you home, I started a lasagna. It will be ready in an hour."

Just then, Regina bent over to check the dish in the oven and suddenly Emma had no control over herself. She grabbed Henry's shoulder. "Henry, go to your room."

"Why?"

"Because I am going to kiss your mom."

"Uwh, just let me get a cookie first." Henry walked over to the cabinet, opened the cookie jar and grabbed a delectable treat out, just as Regina was righting herself.

"Just that one. I don't want you to spoil your dinner."

Henry glanced at Emma jokingly and laughed, "It might have already been ruined."

"What?" Regina was confused. "Where are you going?"

"I'm going to my room, where I will stay until one of you comes and gets me."

"What on Earth was that about?" Regina seemed clearly perplexed, as she stared at their son's retreating back, but Emma gave it very little thought as she rushed the brunette, gathered her in her arms and kissed her senseless in the middle of the kitchen. Regina's hands bunched at the back of Emma's shirt wrinkling the fabric, her tongue gliding against Emma's sinfully. Regina was such a good kisser.

"Mmmm," Emma moaned nipping and flicking Regina's lips with the tip of her tongue. "I've missed you, My Queen." _Her Queen. _That's what felt exactly right. Not the Evil Queen anymore, but HER QUEEN. Hers and hers alone.

Regina groaned, pressing her forehead weakly against Emma's, her system buzzing just as much with sexual arousal. "Don't 'My Queen' me now, Miss Swan…" more frantic kisses, "Our son is…"

"Say it again." Emma was kissing her and her hands passed over and squeezed her Queen's shapely rear.

Regina groaned again, not able to concentrate for the sheer pleasure Emma's hands were delivering. "What?"

"Say 'Miss Swan' again. You know what it does to me." She saw the sly sparkle in Regina's eyes.

"_Miss Swan," _she began supremely. God, she loved when Regina used her imperious voice. Though she was certain that stopping what they were doing was far from what Regina wanted to do. "Henry could walk in…"

"No, he won't." Then she kissed Regina hotly and smirked before she said, "He knows."

"Knows what?"

"About us…"

Regina just stared and narrowed her eyes, "How?"

"He figured it out," Emma huffed when Regina pushed her back to step out of her embrace. "My genes, your upbringing, he just figured it out." Regina eyed her demandingly. "He's seen me sneaking out."

"That's because you are so loud," Regina gibed, dawdling around the kitchen to hide her sudden nervousness.

"And here I thought you liked it when I got loud." Emma pouted circling her arms around Regina's waist from behind and nuzzling the back of her neck.

Regina put her face in her hands, "I can't believe Henry is sitting upstairs in his room aware of what we are doing in the kitchen."

"Which, so far, has been absolutely nothing." Emma started gathering the bottom of Regina's top and pulling it up to untie the drawstring of the brunette's yoga pants. "We can fix that though." Regina groaned in frustration. The blonde imagined that the older woman was torn between her humiliation at their son knowing that his mothers might be doing something naughty in the kitchen and her desire to actually _want_ to do something naughty in the kitchen. She would have totally felt sorry for her queen if it wasn't making her so hot right now.

When Regina bent over the counter, her face still in her hands, Emma joked, "Oh yes. _This _is _PERFECT. _Stay just like this." She grabbed Regina around the hips and thrust herself against Regina's backside, eliciting a warbled moan from the older woman.

Regina slapped her hands on the counter top and righted herself, as if she actually had the resolve to stop what they were doing. Emma knew she had to be stealthy in her art of seduction to keep it going. She brought her fingertips to Regina's breasts and skated them teasingly across Regina's hardening peaks and she could feel that beautiful behind grinding against her front.

"Em-maaa…." _Oh hell yes. _Not Miss Swan, but Emma. This was happening. But just for good measure she thought she would seal the deal by slipping one hand past the loosened waistband, the other hand up the front of Regina's shirt and underneath her bra, and her lips busy with the sensitive area just beneath her lover's ear.

"Yes, My Queen?" When Regina groaned her submission, Emma swelled with pride, love and an intense desire to please Regina, not just in this, but suddenly every way possible. When her fingers found the queen slick with wanting, her voice shook with her own desire, "Are you going to do it or shall I?"

Regina was panting now and rocking against Emma's hand as she reached back and squeezed the young woman's firm and fantastic looking buttocks and pulled the sheriff firmly against her. The brunette moved her head back and toward Emma to kiss her in complete surrender, parting Emma's lips with her tongue. When Emma groaned and rolled her hips against her lover's bottom, Regina tore her mouth away, raised her hands and cast the spell.


	11. Chapter 11: From Snow to Fire

** This chapter contains sexual content

**Chapter 11: From Snow to Fire**

"Good morning, Virginia. I am here to see Mayor Blanchard," Regina informed her old assistant. It seemed that she still had quite a nervous effect on her old employee.

"Oh yes, hello, Your Majes-, I mean Ms. Mills, I mean, Madame Mayor…err…Ms. Mi…."

"Regina is fine."

The woman's eyes practically bugged out of her head. After the first curse had broken, Regina had come to recognize her assistant as a peasant woman whose life she had threatened in her search for Snow White in the Enchanted Forest. Why she remembered her, she didn't know. Surely she had threatened a lot of peasants, but she did remember this one by the look of sheer terror on her face, the exact same expression she had when the curse had finally ended and the girl learned who she was really working for. Regina had mused that the woman was lucky to be alive and that it was even a miracle that the Evil Queen had not had her killed. Regina inwardly cringed at that thought now.

"Really?"

"Yes," the brunette confirmed and taking a hesitant gulp, she smiled. "Call me Regina." Then she felt like she had to add, "I'm no longer your boss anymore, and you had done a good job for me when I was mayor. You have _nothing_ to fear from me."

The young woman gradually seemed to relax and that calmed Regina. "Now, Mayor Blanchard wanted to see me and asked that I come in."

"Yes. Yes, I'll let Mayor Blanchard know you're here."

"There's no need," Regina heard from behind her. When she turned around she found Mary Margaret leaning against the door jamb with arms crossed, having witnessed the whole exchange between the two women. "Come in."

Regina followed Mary Margaret into her office. She looked around at the décor and felt a little out of place now with the changed trimmings. The office looked positively happy and hopeful and though it wasn't necessarily a bad thing, it was a little too bright for her taste. Was that a painting of daisies on the wall? If Mary Margaret noticed her cringe in distaste she didn't mention it.

"Madame Mayor," Mary Margaret welcomed as she took her seat and watched Regina take hers.

"Madame Mayor…" Regina huffed in greeting back. "Your voice mail sounded urgent. What's happening?"

"Yes, I know. I am grateful you came here to meet me."

"You should be glad I came at all. What is the meaning of this _summons? _You could have come to the house to see me."

"You need to get out more, Regina. It's good for you." Mary Margaret beamed at her. "Frankly, I didn't think you'd come to be honest. I was fully prepared to stop by later."

Regina sneered in disbelief and then narrowed her eyes. "Was this a test?" Mary Margaret smiled widely in reply and Regina just mildly shook her head. Old Regina would have been livid, but the woman she was today, was only mildly annoyed. That had to be progress. She looked at her old rival and realized she didn't want to hurt her, not even scratch her, but pride made her roll her eyes anyway and sarcastically say, "Where's a poisoned apple when you need one?"

Mary Margaret smiled even wider at that. "The reason I called you down here today is because I wanted to give you a head's up." At Regina's confused look, she explained, "I am stepping down as mayor and I will be nominating YOU as my replacement."

"You… you want to reinstate me as mayor?"

"Yes."

"There needs to be an election."

"Yes, probably. But I want you to have the job and I will do whatever I can to get you re-elected. And I won't be alone."

Regina suddenly felt like she had woken up in Wonderland instead and had been smoking whatever that damn caterpillar had been.

"Why?"

"Because, Regina, this is _your _job. You had done it well for years! I hate it."

"You were a ruler back in the Enchanted Forest. You are a born leader."

"Yeah but for almost 30 years I have been a teacher. And to be honest, I like that much better. I'd rather correct papers and plan homework assignments, instead of dealing with budget reports and politics." The last word said with displeasure. "You are much better at it than I ever was."

"Wait, let me record that and set it as my ringtone."

"Seriously Regina, if I have to do it, I will, but you really are the best person for the job. And I'll be honest, I don't think anyone else wants to do it. It's not as if Storybrooke is a _normal_ town. We're a bunch of fairytale characters living in a mystical town that the rest of the country doesn't even know about, and many of the residents are just humble people who are glad to have electricity and plumbing. They wouldn't care to actually run anything."

"I don't know. We have a few royalty in town. Phillip, Aurora, Cinderella, and her Prince, What's-his-name… and what about David?"

"Do you want to see David as Mayor?"

"Not really…"

"Well, neither do I," Mary Margaret replied and Regina slanted a surprised glance at her, "…not that he wouldn't be good. But I don't think his heart is in politics either. Oh, he's very noble and he is a good leader, but more on the battlefield. He'd be miserable sitting behind a desk all day. Being a sheriff and chasing the bad guys is what he likes to do. He and Emma are a lot alike that way."

At the mention of Emma's name, Regina couldn't help herself from smiling and it was not lost on the short haired mayor and it pleased her. When the older woman spied the look of obvious approval on her former nemesis, she hid her smile and regained her composure, one of regality.

"Besides, he has known what my intentions are and he has not expressed any interest in running." When Regina frowned in silence, Mary Margaret leaned forward, "Regina, will you please just consider it."

"Snow, even if I wanted to, no one will want to re-elect the Evil Queen." The use of Mary Margaret's real name took the younger woman by surprise but she was cautious not to show a reaction; the shock, as well as the utter _delight_ she was feeling. For the first time in a very long time, she had heard Regina say her name. Not Evil Queen Regina. Not Step-mother Regina. Not even Mayor Regina, but Regina, her friend. The one who would braid her hair, talk about horses, laugh with her and tell her stories. And secrets; her friend that would tell her secrets. Mary Margaret felt a little stab at that. She suddenly desperately wanted that Regina back.

The mayor gulped and said, "Regina, you are NOT the Evil Queen anymore and I will be happy to remind anyone who says differently. You have come so far. You almost died trying to keep the trigger from destroying the town. You were going to sacrifice your life! You gave up Henry to save all of us from Pan's curse. You saved Charming's life by splitting my heart, Regina. You saved my baby's life, no, not only Neal's, but you saved my life, your own life, Emma's life and Henry's life by defeating Zelena. You - "

"Okay, okay. Yeah I get it, I'm a real _girl scout_ now," Regina shifted uncomfortably and then in a hushed tone said, "I didn't think anyone even remembered any of that."

Mary Margaret looked at her intently and acknowledged, "Emma would never let any of us forget it."

Regina's eyes shot up immediately at the implication of those words and the warmth it created in her heart started to spread and overtake her entire being. She gulped but could not find any words. She felt a change in herself suddenly and it both thrilled her and scared her. It scared her a lot.

The mayor noticed the gravity of the situation and knew that sometimes when Regina felt too much emotion she tended to guard herself. She was right to warn her daughter of how complex Regina can be with love. Snow knew Regina loved Emma, but when would she ever let herself consciously think it, she didn't know and she knew her daughter had a hard road ahead of her, but one that would be rewarding if Emma could get Regina past it. If anyone could do it, she knew Emma could.

"Anyway," Snow rattled on, hoping to change the mood, "I think you should come back to City Hall as mayor. You must be _bored_ at home all day." That got the desired effect. The older brunette shot the mayor an annoyed look. Annoyance was far easier to deal with than the look of fear a moment ago. "No one to boss around or intimidate," and then she joked looking away, "or _frame_ for _murder_…"

Regina raised an eyebrow at that, knowing it was in jest, but rolled her eyes nonetheless while rising from her chair but unbeknownst to the mayor, Regina was smiling as she walked to the entry. She turned as she opened the door then straight faced. "Two more minutes. That's all I would have needed during the Shattered Sight Curse. Just two more minutes and I would have taken care of you for good."

As she was closing the door outside the mayor's office, Regina heard Mary Margaret shout cockily, while probably grinning, "You WISH!" And that had her smiling all the way down the steps of City Hall and out to her car.

* * *

She didn't go home however. The black Mercedes swerved into a spot at the Sheriff's Station. Her meeting with Mary Margaret was still heavily on her mind. _"Emma would never let any of us forget it."_

A plethora of emotions was circling inside her: surprise, fear, longing, hope, love… _love. _Her mother used to tell her "love is weakness". If that were the case, then why did she suddenly feel so strong, so invincible, like she could take on the world and that anything was possible? Out of all the emotions she was currently feeling, fear was the only one she truly recognized; a gift from her not-so-dearly departed mother.

Her heels clicked purposefully on the concrete and as she was nearing the door she saw David exiting the building.

"Hi Regina," he greeted fiddling with the police cruiser keys, "Did you see Snow already? For what it's worth, I think it's a good idea." Prince Charming thought it was a good idea to put her back in control of the town, to have a little, what, _faith_ in her? What was the world coming to? This is all Emma's fault.

"David," she just answered and passed him by heading straight to the door and she heard his cruiser drive away as she entered the building. With him gone, that would mean that Sheriff Swan was all alone. Good… she had a few choice words to say to her. _"Emma would never let any of us forget it."_

She was just rounding the corner when she saw her target walking toward her, reading the contents of a manila folder. She looked just as gorgeous as always, skinny jeans, short beige cardigan worn over a white top, badge clipped to her belt and those mid-calf boots over her jeans. _So sexy, so mine!_

The blonde sheriff had been so engrossed in the file that she hadn't noticed Regina until she was practically in front of her. "Oh hey!" She smiled brightly at Regina, "Did you see mom already?"

Regina suddenly felt such a powerful well of emotions that she didn't think of what she was doing when she grabbed handfuls of Emma's sweater, dragging and pushing the sheriff up hard against the side of a metal file cabinet very nearby, and kissing her with wild abandon. She was running off pure emotion and had only one goal in mind: to conquer and possess. She wanted Emma Swan with every fiber of her being. It was unperceived whether the loud lustful moans were hers or the blonde's. Tongues dueled, lips kissed, sucked and nipped. Emma tried to speak but could not get a word in edgewise. The brunette swallowed every mutter, every sound and proceeded to seduce the sheriff. Regina brought her leg between Emma's and wasted no time in applying pressure to her soft wetness through her jeans. The blonde yipped at the contact and her hips began to roll against the brunette's thigh.

Regina absently heard something fall to the floor but she could care less as she started rubbing herself more urgently against Emma. She felt the dampness through the sheriff's jeans and then on her stocking clad leg, as her skirt had ridden up with all the friction. It spurred Regina on even more because she was on a mission. _Mine. Mine. Mine._

Somewhere in the back of her mind Regina knew how highly inappropriate all this was but she couldn't stop herself. She had never felt so hopeful, so accepted, so grateful, so understood. _So loved._

She felt Emma's hands that were once at her back now on her hips and the blonde held her as she was grinding herself fiercely atop the older woman's leg. Regina was moving faster now and just kept kissing Emma with all her passionate affection pouring out into that caress. The brunette was so turned on she thought she was going to come first, from Emma's muffled cries, from Emma's closeness, from feeling Emma through her jeans. But then with a keening cry into Regina's mouth, the younger woman came brilliantly, shuddering and clutching at the older woman's body.

Regina was not far behind. She climaxed also, tearing her mouth from Emma's and biting into the blonde's neck, whimpering, and then placing her forehead on Emma's shoulder. They were fully clothed, trembling and panting wildly against the file cabinet. It felt like they were keeping each other from falling so they just held onto one another until the world stopped spinning.

Regina felt safe enough to move but only by moving her head to spy the folder lying on the floor. Emma was the first to talk.

"Holy fuck, Regina," she breathed. "I think you should definitely visit my mom more often." Emma separated them a little, stroked Regina's cheek and then bent over to pick up the folder. "We have to open a window. It smells like sex in here." Emma proceeded to open not one, but a few windows and waved the folder in the air faster, as if that would help. Regina just leaned against the file cabinet spent after coming so hard. When the blonde tried to walk past the brunette again, Regina reached out, grabbed her wrist and spun her back and into her arms. Soft brown eyes met startled green ones.

_I love you, Emma Swan._

She reached up, palmed Emma's cheek and pressed their lips together tenderly for a few sweet, lingering kisses. Then she cradled the blonde's face in her hands and whispered, "Thank you." She kissed Emma one more time, turned and left, not bothering to see the blinking, wide-mouthed, puzzled look she knew the sheriff was sure to have on her face.


	12. Chapter 12: Henry Has A Question

**Chapter 12: Henry Has a Question**

Emma laid awake in the darkness of Regina's bedroom deep in thought. The last few days had gone by and she and the former mayor had settled into a rather domesticated life together. Emma came over after work, they ate dinner as a family, cleaned up as a family and hung out as a family; she, Regina and Henry. They laughed a lot, teased each other a lot and had so much fun. Then, after dark, when Henry went to bed, she and Regina would retire to the bedroom where they made love for hours and would fall asleep in each other's arms. She hadn't officially moved in, but her toothbrush was sitting in the bathroom alongside her lover's, she had 2 or 3 different outfits of clothes, and Regina had just expected that she would come home to her at night instead of go to her parent's apartment. If she did need anything more, she would just go get it at the apartment during lunch. It still made her feel like she was living out of a bag though and that thought slightly unsettled her.

Though she really loved the idea of coming to see Regina and Henry in the evenings and making love to her queen at night, she felt that Regina was keeping something from her. Not an evil secret and she knew that she was the only one the brunette was interested in spending time with besides their son, but there was still something she was holding back from Emma and it was beginning to bother the blonde.

She remembered that mind-blowing day that Regina had visited the station and dry-humped the living daylights out of her. Never in her life had she had an orgasm so quickly and furiously, standing up, with her clothes on. Thinking of the ferocity and hunger with which Regina had claimed her sent a quake of arousal through her now, but Emma was still a bit confused as to what had set the brunette off in the first place. When the blonde arrived to the house that evening, everything seemed to be normal and Regina had not even mentioned her visit to the station. Her mother hadn't exactly been helpful either. When Emma had pried into the matter by asking about their meeting, Mary Margaret looked pensive for a moment and again reminded Emma that Regina needed to figure things out for herself and to just give her a little bit of time.

Emma took a deep breath and turned her head to the woman in question who was lying on her side facing the other direction sleeping soundly. She considered briefly waking the older woman for another bout of hot sex; it would be so easy. She would start by spooning her queen's body and kissing her shoulder, nuzzling her neck, to that point just below her ear that made Regina hum with need, followed by her slipping her fingers through Regina's soft folds from behind. Or should could do what she had the other night and position her head just underneath that gorgeous bottom and use her tongue instead of her fingers to wake Regina up.

Their bed – Regina's bed – had become a pajama-free zone. The brunette had tried once to come to bed with pajamas, but Emma had proven to her it was a waste of time and casting the Silencing Spell had become as routine as brushing one's teeth before bed. She loved sleeping with Regina, loved having the scent of her close and all around.

She moved closer wrapping herself around the brunette from behind and burying her nose in her hair so she could breathe her in and then snuggled impossibly closer. She felt that if she could get any closer, maybe her heart could beat alongside Regina's and maybe they could beat in rhythm, together.

She loved her. Emma was suddenly certain of nothing else. She was in love with Regina Mills. She wasn't sure when it had happened. She could remember many other things. The first time she thought Regina was hot was basically the first time she had met her when she had taken Henry back to Storybrooke and his adoptive mother had come running out of the house to hug her son. Emma had been floored with how beautiful and sexy she had been, even in distress. She could remember a bunch of other things too. The first time Regina had tried to frame her, the first time Regina had tried to kill her, the first time she had hit Regina after Regina had struck her. The first time she had really pissed Regina off with that hacksaw to her apple tree. Looking back though, she couldn't remember the exact moment that she had fallen in love with her. However she knew it was way before the Shattered Curse Spell was cast; way before Marion was brought back to town; it was way before they left for Neverland; and if she were honest with herself, before she even met Hook.

Emma Swan was in love with Regina Mills and honestly, it was a little frightening. She wasn't even sure how Regina would take it. They were both so similar. Emma knew that Regina had been told told, by her mother, of all people, that "love was weakness", whereas Emma may not have had a screwed up mom to tell her that, but she had spent most of her childhood learning that lesson the hard way. If you let people in, if you show even a smidgeon of vulnerability, they could destroy you. Emma had learned at an early age to trust no one. So here they were, two damaged souls that have spent most of their time in Storybrooke dancing around each other, never having touched, until now, and it seemed when that had happened, everything had suddenly become clear. Maybe they had needed that physical connection to finally figure out how alike they were, how explosive they were. Emma had already felt how powerful their magic was together, but with actually taking the leap and meeting each other in that ultimately physical act (sex, which was the best sex she had ever had), it unleashed all these emotions and feelings that Emma had long since been afraid to show anyone. It almost felt like she had come home. That was something that Emma Swan had always wanted. _A home._

Emma listened to Regina's even breathing and took the woman's hand in her own. With her lips close to Regina's ear, she took a deep breath and took a leap of faith and whispered, "I love you, Regina." It seemed a little easier to say when the older woman was sleeping. She closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep, not noticing that the brunette had opened her eyes and had heard her confession.

XOXOXOX

"Order up!" Granny rang the bell loudly signaling Ruby to come pick up the latest batch of filled plates.

In a few minutes, a plate of waffles was set in front of Emma, an egg white omelet in front of Regina, and a plate of chocolate chip pancakes, much to Regina's chagrin, in front of Henry. She reasoned that since it was a Friday morning, she would let it go, but the kid was sneaky and had taken the opportunity to order the Friday morning special when Regina had gone to the bathroom with instructions on what to order for her. When Henry had ordered it, Emma gave him a sidelong glance, telling him that his mother wasn't going to be happy about this. He just shrugged it off and smiled. _Defiant teenage years, here we come._

"So, I have a question," Henry started while slicing up his pancakes, "Are you moving in or what, Ma?" The two women stopped abruptly what they were doing and looked at him in surprise and then looked at each other, both clearly stupefied.

"Henry, I don't know that this is an appropriate discussion for breakfast."

"Mom, it's a question. People ask questions in restaurants all the time." He gave her a knowing look and that smile he often used to try and win her over. Emma saw it. The power of that smile could turn Regina Mills to mush. That was her weakness right there. "Look, it's not like she doesn't live there already. And if you are trying to be sensitive about me, you don't need to worry. I caught you two kissing the other day when you thought I wasn't looking and, well, I'm fine with it. I think it's cool that my moms _finally _hooked up."

Emma decided to sit back and watch this all unfold. She was mildly amused at Regina's smile and blush, which was probably at the memory of them kissing. When her queen blushed she was adorably charming. These are the sides of Regina Mills that people didn't get the chance to see and it was a damn shame. She briefly wondered if this was the Regina her mom had told her about; the one before the Evil Queen.

She turned curious eyes to Emma, then, and the blonde almost felt obligated to interject on her behalf but found herself saying, "Interesting question." Regina's eyes widened and then narrowed at the blonde.

"Miss Swan," Regina began.

"Ugh, that's not good," Henry shook his head and took a bite of his food. "You still call her that?"

"I kind of like it, kid," Emma chuckled and then with a naughty expression at Regina she added, "It _challenges _me." Regina paused and raised an eyebrow at her.

"I don't know what that means but, whatever." After another bite, Henry looked at them earnestly. "It's just I figure, you love her, she loves you, let's just make this official. It's not like everyone doesn't know. Even the kids at my school are talking about it." Regina grimaced into her coffee and Emma felt her displeasure. She didn't want to be gossiped about at the junior high school any more than the former mayor did, but she also couldn't help a rueful smile from appearing. Henry's topic of conversation might be right out of left field but it was a big elephant in the room. She picked up her mug to sip the hot contents, noticing Regina do the same but more out of discomfort. "Besides, I was thinking that the sooner we get this show on the road, maybe the sooner you might consider giving me a baby brother or sister." The two women sputtered and Regina grabbed her napkin off the table quickly while Emma started coughing to regain her composure. Henry just continued on though. "I mean, no offense but you guys aren't getting any younger, you know, biological clock wise and all." Emma bit her lip to keep from laughing at the look on Regina's face, eyes closed, napkin pressed against her mouth slowly shaking her head. She thought Regina might just hurl on the spot, but then she opened her eyes and Emma had to take a second look. Regina's brown eyes were dancing with… mirth. The older woman found this funny. Could the woman be any more surprising and… seductively fetching? And while not even consciously trying! Regina placed her other hand at the nape of Henry's neck and just caressed him while Emma lovingly watched the both of them. _Hers._

Suddenly Henry's eyes were drawn to the door and his face lit up as Grace and her father walked through it. A distraction from the unusual conversation had presented itself and Emma saw Henry brush his hair with his fingers, as if to make sure he was presentable. Regina noticed Grace, and Henry's reaction, as well. Astounding Emma, Regina primped his collar and encouraged, "Well, go talk to her." She slid out of the booth then. "Go on." To see Regina so supportive and reassuring was a punch to the solar plexus for Emma. Just when she thought she couldn't fall more in love with the woman, she was proven wrong.

Both mothers sat and watched as their son gingerly stepped up and spoke to Grace and then waved at her father. Jefferson in turn waved back and then looked to the table where they sat and cordially waved to them, but then turned just as quickly. Both women had their rather complicated histories with the Mad Hatter.

Turning back to each other, they smiled and Emma piped in, "Well, that was…."

"Awkward," Regina confirmed.

_Awkward…ok. _Emma hid her disappointment by sipping her coffee and then cutting another piece of waffle, not looking at the brunette.

At Regina clearing her throat Emma glanced up to find the woman staring intently at her. "Henry does make a valid point however. I suppose, I could make some room in my closet and empty a few drawers," Regina offered while taking a bite of her omelet, as if she were considering buying a new piece of furniture for the house. The woman was infuriating. Was she excited about the thought of Emma moving in or not? What did Regina want?

"Don't bother," Emma wiped her mouth chucked her napkin on her plate, no longer hungry. Regina's startled expression did nothing to calm her.

"Miss Swan…?"

"Uh uh!" Emma rejected, "Don't you 'Miss Swan' me. Not right now, Regina. I can't take your sexy uppity voice right now." Emma slid out of the booth, ignoring the brunette's baffled look, stood in front of her queen, bent down and in front of everyone in the restaurant; she grabbed the back of Regina's head and smashed their lips together in a firm meaningful kiss. When Regina gasped in surprise Emma's tongue gained entry and stroked Regina's possessively until the older woman's lips softened pliantly. Tearing her lips away and hovering inches over Regina's face, Emma had noticed that the restaurant had become rather silent, but she just peered down at the brunette and uttered, "When you figure out what it is that _YOU_ want, you know where you can find me."

With that she gathered her pride, walked over to Henry to give him a kiss on his forehead goodbye and then left.


	13. Chapter 13: Fighting Off the Darkness

**Chapter 13: Fighting Off the Darkness**

Later that morning, Regina was in her backyard tending to her apple tree and thinking about Emma and what had happened earlier at breakfast. She had realized that she had done something to upset the sheriff but she wasn't entirely sure what it was. Suspicion told her it might have had something to do with Henry's idea for Emma to move in. At the time, once she had gotten over her initial reaction of shock, the idea began to appeal to Regina. She had grown accustomed to having Emma around the house and, especially, in her arms at night.

She thought she was saying as much this morning until Emma's demeanor had changed and she had left so abruptly, Regina had not been sure what was happening. Then there was that kiss; a kiss that still made her toes curl just thinking about it, and that cryptic message as Emma had left. Regina was still baffled. She knew what she wanted. She wanted Emma. What else did she have to say to the sheriff to convince her to move in?

Regina remembered Emma's confession of love the other night. At the thought, her middle immediately warmed and she felt a smile bloom. _"Love is weakness"._ _No! _She was not going to let her mother affect her from beyond the grave anymore. With Henry her love was strength, it broke Zelena's curse. With Emma… Regina paused and thought about every time she and Emma had done magic together, she may not have recognized it as romantic love, but there was something akin to love there between them that made their powers so strong. She felt it. She had done magic before; with Rumpelstiltskin and Maleficent, but magic with Emma was very different. It had might. It had an inexplicable dynamism to it; a force beyond anything she could explain.

With a sigh, she knew the ball was once again in her court. A sneaky suspicion told her that what had happened this morning was her fault. She realized that it was probably a tad insensitive to not have discussed the other day with Emma about what had happened in the Sheriff Station. The memory still had a shudder of awakening running through her system and she had a fleeting urge for relief, relief of a sexual nature. Regina groaned. The sheriff wasn't even physically here and thoughts of her made the brunette…_horny_. They were having sex every single night and still her desire for the blonde sheriff had not ebbed and she just found her wanting Emma more and more.

_I must have said something wrong this morning. I am just not good at this sort of thing. _

Besides her love for Henry, Regina had not had much experience with the emotion of love. She felt it, fiercely, but how to deal with it, how to even exist properly within its orbit, well that was a different story. She wanted to be better at it though because she thought that Emma Swan would be worth it.

_I certainly know how to make a mess of things. What would Snow say?_

She would never admit it to anyone else, but one of the things that she had always envied about Snow White was her ability to love. She made it look so effortless and easy to bear one's feelings and open up one's soul completely to other people. _Ugh, I know what that gleeful-bucket-of-chirpy-cheer would say._ She'd say to have hope and to love again, because Regina_ could_ love again, but most importantly not to close herself off to love or to Emma. Regina shook her head and rolled her eyes.

She placed a few apples into the basket at her feet when she let herself think about Robin. It shamed her to admit that he had not crossed her mind much at all since he had left and she started to feel guilty and angry at herself. He was prophesized to be her soul mate after all and ever since that fateful morning waking up next to Emma Swan, she was all Regina could think about. When Robin had told her that he chose her over his wife, she had felt awed and happy, but in retrospect now she had to wonder if it was only because she liked the idea of being chosen over anyone. She spent all that time pining for him when Marian had returned, but how much of that was only her feeling miserable that she might lose her chance at love. Having been with Emma recently, it felt inexorable, predesigned and _meant_. How could that be if Robin was supposed to be her "one and only"? Emma made her feel understood and accepted.

According to Emma during her trip back in time, she had even encountered, met and been captured by the Evil Queen. The blonde told her that she was a sight to behold and a force to be reckoned with and Emma had feared for her life. Regina shuddered thankful that Emma had made it out of her dungeon alive. The younger woman had basically seen Regina at her worst and yet here she was still, loving her, _all _of her. Emma had found her when no one else bothered to even look at her, let alone _see _her. With all the good and the bad, Emma loved her. Never in her wildest dreams did she think she could feel this from anyone. It was incredible. It was scary. If Regina thought losing Daniel was heart-wrenching, sending her into painful loneliness and darkness, what would losing Emma do?

Her thoughts were all cluttered in her head and it seemed the more she wished for clarity, the more messy things became. One thing was for sure. She had to tell Emma she loved her and it was on her to make up for whatever happened this morning.

Suddenly she felt it, an odd awareness swirling around her, warning her. She could sense that she wasn't alone. She tried to calm herself, and old defense mechanisms kicked in and she assumed the poise of the Queen, unshakeable and regal.

With her back turned to whatever was watching she demanded, "Are you just going to stand there or are you going to tell me why you are here?" When she heard him sigh, she held her revulsion at bay.

"Well good morning to you too, Your Majesty. It's a lovely day for picking apples, is it not?"

She stared venomously ahead and suddenly wished that one of her apples was poisoned, but she sighed instead.

"Do not attempt to charm me, Hook. What do you want?"

"Well, I'll get right to it then," he cleared his throat and went on, "I was walking along the beach this morning and I suddenly found myself lost in thought."

She rolled her eyes and growled inwardly as she pruned some leaves from the tree. _Just get on with it!_

"Lost in _thought_, you say? My, that_ is _uncharted territory for you. What does that have to do with me?"

"It has to do with Emma." He spouted roughly. "I was thinking about Emma."

Regina summoned every ounce of control she possessed to turn calmly, narrowed her eyes at him and retorted, "As I recall she is no longer any of your concern," then turned back to her tree, "…and not someone I wish to discuss with the likes of you." _Mine. Mine. Mine!_

She hoped he would take the hint, but Hook was not only a nuisance but a stubborn and difficult one as well. She picked a gorgeous apple from the tree and polished it before placing it in the basket.

"How do you know that I am not her soul mate?" He sincerely asked and her movements stilled. She was taken aback by the question, since even the word "soul mate" was a touchy subject. She was beginning to hate the word; however, she made herself relax and turned with her most diabolical laugh.

"Hook, are you always this dumb or are you making a special effort today?" He arrogantly sauntered a little closer and eyed the sky.

"Perhaps I am actually being smart, though I know you find that hard to believe."

"What I find hard to believe is that you could postulate that anyone else could be your soul mate other than your reflection in the mirror."

"Says the woman who talked to hers for years."

"Look Captain Grossbeard," Regina sighed exasperatingly, "You and Emma are not soul mates."

"And you are an expert on soul mates, yeah? After having thrown your chance away that first time so many years ago?"

Regina turned back to the tree, unsettled.

"You've already ruined your life, Regina," he wasted no time in saying. "You lost your soul mate. Are you so bitter and hateful that you would destroy Emma's happy ending?"

"Hook, if Emma thought she had a happy ending with you, I am sure she would still be with you," she rebutted at the turn of her head.

"Would you care to wager on that, Your Majesty? I do say, it's too bloody bad that we don't have any pixie dust lying around then, isn't it?" When Regina turned toward her apples, she heard him say, "Would that be a gamble you would be willing to take though I wonder… to see if I am right?"

Curse all this damn nonsense of soul mates and pixie dust. It's been a mind sore ever since she came back from Neverland. Still a part of Regina felt enslaved to the notion; glowing pixie dust, prophesized soulmates. What if Emma did have a soul mate and what If she was keeping Emma from them?

As if he was privy to her thoughts he threw what little doubt she had back at her, "What if you are robbing Emma of her happiness?" His eyes hardened and cooled, "Just like you robbed her of her parents and her birthright. Haven't you wrecked her life enough?"

"You are NOT Emma's soulmate, Hook." Regina was coming toward him now, fully antagonized, feeling the magic in her fingertips with the urge to rip his heart out. She forced herself to stop four feet away and not advance any further because she didn't trust herself and that thought jarred her. Hook proceeded to come closer and leaned in, proving he was either really brave or really stupid. Her temper believed it was the latter.

"And why is that, Your Majesty? Because villains don't get happy endings? Oh Regina, if I don't deserve her for all my crimes and sins, then you surely don't deserve her." He looked her up and down and then he turned and began to arrogantly walk away, but then he turned, "You'll hurt her. And when you do, I'll be there and she will come to me willingly, into my arms… and into my bed."

Regina's hands lifted instinctively but she fisted them before they could do any harm. She wasn't that person anymore. _Do it. Crush him. _A war was raging within her as he walked further away and disappeared from site. She could have killed him. _But I didn't. _She wanted to. _For a moment, but I didn't._ "No." She fell to her knees trembling, her clenched fists in her lap. "No."

She felt herself swimming in immense guilt, the kind of moments that she tried desperately to avoid. Her father's face appeared before her. The sacrifice she made. She loved him and he was not safe from her. _It gave me Henry. _She thought of the moment after she cast the curse when she visited her father's grave. _ "I love you, Daddy."_ No! She could never hurt Emma or Henry. _"You're as evil as they come." _Guilt, darkness, anguish… she was drowning.

The Queen crumbled and her forehead hit the grass. Her body wept uncontrollably, her cries torn sorrowfully from somewhere deep inside. Her hands fisted and unfisted in the grass, her heart feeling like it was being ripped apart. Love led to loss. Loss led to darkness.

In her overwrought state, she hadn't noticed that she was no longer alone until she felt herself swept up and cradled in strong arms with consoling kisses placed on her forehead.

"Shhh, Regina… I'm here… hey, I'm _here…_" Emma's soothing voice broke through the dark haze Regina was in. Her savior had come and was sitting on the ground with the older woman settled into her open lap and wrapped into her arms, rocking her and holding her tightly as if she would never let her go. She was tired, so very tired. Between her gasps and sniffles, cheeks stained with tears, she closed her eyes and just let herself go.

The next thing she knew she was laying on the downstairs couch with a blanket thrown over her and she discovered she had been asleep for hours. Henry was going to be home soon. The last thing she remembered was Emma consoling her, kissing her, rocking her to sleep. Regina waited to feel the embarrassment at blubbering like a baby and being carried into the house, but honestly she couldn't feel much at the moment except how much she wished she were still in Emma's arms. Walking around the house, she realized she was alone and that saddened her.


	14. Chapter 14: Thrown Out To Sea

**Chapter 14: Thrown Out To Sea**

Emma was in a murderous rage as she walked with sure purposeful strides into Granny's Bed &amp; Breakfast and took the stairs two at a time. She had just left Regina's house, where she spent some time watching over Regina, tenderly stroking her hair as she slept. Once she had made sure that Her Queen was resting soundly, she departed for town. Her jaw clenched tightly as she remembered how vulnerable and shattered Regina was. Her Regina looked so… broken. _Her Regina; _the woman who always tried to be strong in front of everyone; the woman who continually fought her own demons every single day.

As soon as she was in front of the door, she lifted her leg and kicked the door in, barging into the room looking for her target. She saw Hook coming out of the bathroom wrapped only in a towel and she did not waste any time in pulling her arm back and punching him with all her might, causing him to stumble backwards and hit the wall crashing down to sit on the floor.

"Bloody HELL, Swan!" He palmed his face, while she shook her hand to alleviate the shock of the blow.

"Shut up, just SHUT THE HELL UP!" She pointed at him fiercely. "Whatever _you thought_ we had or could have had. It's DEAD. We are dead. Especially after the little stunt you pulled today."

When he looked up at her in a sidelong glance, he leaned against the wall. "Told you all of that did she?"

No. She really didn't. Emma had spent the early morning missing Regina and the knowledge that things were okay between them, she decided to pay Regina a visit. When she entered the house and found it empty, she went to check the backyard to see if the older woman was in the back yard tending to her beloved apple tree. That was when Emma saw Hook with his back to Regina walking away like a cocky son of a bitch and judging by Regina's stance, the woman looked incredibly shaken. When the brunette collapsed into a trembling wretched heap, it had scared the blonde sheriff half to death and all she could think about was reaching her as soon as possible. The most painful thing to witness was holding Regina while she was shaking and loudly sobbing.

"Why did you say all that to her?" she inquired. She was good at finding out the truth, which had made her a good bail bondsperson and now a good sheriff.

"Because I wanted to fight for us! What if you and I_ are_ soul mates?" _Fucking great! _He brought up this nonsense of soul mates. No wonder Regina was so upset. If he hurt her chances with Regina, she would personally boot his ass over the town line.

"There IS no us, Killian! I do NOT love you. I do not WANT you!" She threw her hands up in frustration. "I… LOVE… _REGINA_."

"But she's destined to be with Hood. He's her bloody soul mate." Emma was going to shoot him. "You know that. Pixie dust doesn't lie."

"What is WRONG with you people?! This is not the Enchanted Forest. This is not Fairytale Land. This is the REAL world! People have been living here without magic for centuries and they don't rely on fucking pixie dust to find true love. They work at it. Love isn't easy. It's messy! And it's not always pleasant, but two people who love each other, like Regina and I do, can make it because they refuse to give up on one another."

"If we had pixie dust, you would see. What if we _were _meant to be together?"

She grunted and took a small spin around the room. "If you think I would let a handful of dust tell me who I should be in love with then that just proves you didn't know me half as well as you thought you did. _I write my OWN destiny!_ I choose NOT to be with you, to NEVER be with you, in fact." She ranted on while not realizing that a few people had gathered outside in the hall due to all the commotion. "Soul mates?! Why doesn't anyone ever ask if Regina and I are soul mates? What, you only get ONE soul mate your whole life? Tell me. Is that how it was for you and Milah, Hook? Why do you think I would be your soul mate then?" He looked downcast at that, but she was incensed. "Fucking pixie dust! You know what I want to know? If I had been in that tavern, if I had even been BORN back then, I wonder if that pixie dust would have deemed me Regina's soul mate, instead, because I sure as hell understand her better than anyone else does and she understands me like no one has in my entire life!"

"And what of Hood? What if he were to ever come back?" He asked her, his eyes pleading with her to consider the ramifications.

"That's none of your damn business. It's ours and if that were to ever happen, we would deal with it together. I have faith in us."

"You put too much faith in her. Look what she has done to you. To your life!" Did he also mention that to Regina? Emma's face paled, as she cringed at the possibility and then she turned an angry shade red and her fists balled.

"Because of Regina, _I have HENRY! _And my childhood may not have been perfect. It may have been parentless and crappy, but there were good times too and I am the person I am today because of my life experiences. If you think I would trade any of that in _now _to be some prissy fairytale princess in a castle tower, you are batshit crazy!"

"She will hurt you, Swan. Look what happened to the last person that loved her unconditionally. She took her own father's heart to cast a curse. Mark my words, that woman is an evil monster and should have been_ slaughtered and killed_ by your parents ages ago."

Blinding white fury overtook and her temperature boiled. With a feral growl, she charged at him and was just about to reach him when she felt someone's arms wrap around her. "EMMA! NO!" Mary Margaret was there suddenly, holding her back, struggling to pull her back. She almost elbowed her mother to lunge at Hook again, but Mary Margaret was apparently stronger than she looked. Then David entered the room confusedly, viewed the scene in front of him and put his hands on his hips, contemplating his next steps.

Even with her arms restrained, Emma tried pointing and glared daggers at Hook. "You had no right to fuck with her mind like that! You stay away from Regina, Hook. You stay the hell away from her, or so help me, I will hunt you down and…"

"Emma, OUT," Mary Margaret pulled harder and Emma was so lividly focused on Hook that she missed that dead serious look of concern that her parents exchanged. "EMMA! NOW!" Mary Margaret dragged Emma away.

* * *

She was sitting in the diner when Red ran in frantically and beckoned for Snow to come with her. She explained that she had just seen Emma walk into the bed and breakfast and she looked fit to_ kill_ someone. She left Neal with Granny and asked her to call David immediately. By the time she got there, a few people were standing around watching and Emma was yelling that she loved Regina to Hook, who was on the floor. Mary Margaret wanted to stop it immediately, but Red stopped her with a look that told her that her daughter needed to have her say. It was only later when she caught that familiar darkness and rage in Emma, after Hook's inciting remarks, that she entered the room and intervened. She shuddered to think what might have happened had she not gone in. She knew better than anyone that even heroes had their limits.

Mary Margaret had heard the entire exchange between Emma and Hook and she was very glad that her daughter was ridding herself of the pirate; he really was a jerk. How dare he speak of what she should have done to Regina all that time ago. Mary Margaret had suddenly felt very protective of Regina in that moment, herself, and wanted to punch him. No one hurts her family.

When they got to the bottom of the stairs, Mary Margaret dragged Emma immediately to the small downstairs bathroom, shutting the door behind them and turned on the faucet for some cold water, drenching a paper towel. Her maternal instincts must have kicked in. She was so fearful. She had never seen her daughter_ that_ enraged before.

Instantly, she remembered the lost boy incident in Neverland, but Emma in _this _moment was scarier. "Emma?" She blotted her daughter's forehead and face with cold water. "Sweetheart…" the mother whispered, cradling and searching the blonde's face. Emma's sharp green eyes began to focus and soften and the hard infuriation in them diminished into irritation.

She smiled at her lovingly, "Emma…hey…" and she stroked her daughter's blonde locks back. No one would think it, but Mary Margaret _did _understand something about deadly anger and the need to desperately protect the ones you love. She thought, instantly, of that ogre she felled in the Enchanted Forest that had been standing threateningly over her daughter. Mary Margaret had the same murderous glint in her eyes as she yelled at the beast to get away from her daughter. She knew she was going to kill. It was instinctual, but Hook wasn't worth it.

Emma took a deep breath and when she looked at her mom with glassy and moist eyes, she lamented, "She was wrecked, mom. She was…just so…emotionally mangled."

Mary Margaret wasn't sure whether Emma fell against her, whether she pulled her daughter to her, or both, but they were hugging and holding one another. "We'll make it better, Emma. We'll make her happy again."


	15. Chapter 15: Shock and Apology

** This chapter contains graphic sexual content

**Chapter 15: Shock and Apology**

"Mom! Mom!"

Regina heard the front door slam and she descended the stairs with a worried frown on her face. She had just gotten out of the bath, where she was able to soak for a bit, calming herself, and gather her thoughts to think more rationally. Having known that Emma was there, remembering how good it felt to be wrapped up in her arms had done wonders for her and she felt more relaxed. Some of the things Hook had said still plagued her, but she kept them at bay in the recesses of her mind, where everything else was. If anything, Regina was good at compartmentalizing, although she realized that she needed to address that habit. She had already made a mental note to schedule time with Dr. Hopper to begin her sessions again.

"Henry? What's the matter?" As soon as she got to the foyer, he threw himself in her arms. She took in his agitated, clammy condition and became more worried. "Did something happen? Are you ill?"

"Are you okay? I tried calling and txting you but you didn't answer! I got worried!"

"Henry, I'm fine. Why are you all covered in perspiration?"

"I_ ran_ home, mom. I thought that _son of a bitch_ did something to you." Regina was flustered but not enough to overlook Henry's cursing and she told him so with a stern look. "Yeah, I know, _language_… it's just as soon as I heard I wanted to make sure you were okay. I probably should have checked in with Ma first, but they were talking about it on the bus and when I got off I heard some of the things he had said and I was so angry, mom. I just wanted to make sure you were okay."

"I'm fine, Henry." She stroked his shoulder reassuringly still trying to make sense of it all.

"If Hook had done anything to you, I swear, I would have given him – or paid someone to give him - more than just a black eye, that's for sure."

"What?" Regina was blinking in confusion now. _Hook? Did Henry know Hook was here?_

"Now I wish I had been there from the beginning. I would have totally recorded it and uploaded it on YouTube. No better! I would have made a remix of it! It would have been so EPIC to see Ma kick Hook's door down and knock that jerk flat on his butt over and over. " Henry nodded for emphasis.

"WHAT?!"

Her son eyed her then, searching her face for any indication. He smiled slowly. "You don't know." He then walked into the kitchen to get a glass of something cold to drink. Running home in a panic had worn him out. He thought it definitely wiser now that he should have gone to see his other mother first. He probably would have gotten a ride home at least. "Things are sure going to be interesting when Ma gets home tonight."

Regina, watched her son with narrowed eyes and with a feeling of dread, she walked to the study to retrieve her phone, remembering that room as the last location she used it. Upon activating the screen, she saw not only txts from Henry, but missed txts from Mary Margaret, Kathryn Nolan, Archie Hopper and David, all asking how she was doing, Kathryn's being more detailed about what had happened in Hook's hotel room. A sinking sense of distress came over her. Emma must have seen that Hook was here and then gone to confront him after Regina had fallen asleep. She fleetingly wondered how much of her and Hook's conversation Emma had heard.

Henry was standing at the counter drinking a glass of juice and searching through his phone when Regina came back into the kitchen. She saw his finger freeze and the glass stop halfway to his mouth and then she heard a, "Holy SHIT!"

"Young man! What has suddenly gotten into you? I am certainly dismayed to see you picking up some of your mother's bad habits." He wasn't listening to her however as he continued to stare at his phone with an aghast expression on his face. "What is it?" Another sinking feeling. He turned to her and threw out an uncomfortable snicker.

"Uhhh…." He worried his bottom lip, "You're in the news….?"

He handed over his phone and she saw that it was the website for _The Mirror_, Storybrooke's newspaper, and there in big bold letters it read, "Former Mayor and Sheriff Involved in Steamy Love Triangle."

_Holy Shit!_

* * *

Emma tiptoed into the house that night. As she closed the door she took off her shoes and hung her coat before she continued any further. She had considered not coming back to Regina's at all but her concern for the older woman had won out. Plus, after she had learned about the news story, she knew she had to face the music. She had learned that this type of discussion with Regina was best dealt with in person. Regina would consider a phone call too cowardly and that would make matters worse. It was about nine o'clock at night and the house was completely silent, which was another ominous sign.

Even though she was reluctant to have this out with Regina, she would not have waited so late had it not been for Mary Margaret insisting that Emma's hand be tended to and when they were informed of the news story, they had both gone down to The Mirror straight away to have it taken down. It wasn't easy but eventually Mary Margaret used her mayoral clout to get them to pull it and Emma was quite impressed with how insistent and tenacious her mother was about it, which seemed to remind everyone in that room to not forget they were actually dealing with the Princess Snow White. It was weird and yet kind of wonderful at the same time.

_Might as well get this over with._

She took the steps slowly and when she started rounding the curve, she saw Regina sitting on the stairs waiting for her. _Crap!_

"Well," Regina scowled, "You've had a very busy day." _Double crap!_

"Where's the kid?" Emma was shuffling from one foot to the other. She didn't want Henry watching them fight though goodness knows the kid had seen plenty of fights between them.

"He went to bed early and is fast asleep. He ran all the way home in a fit of worry because apparently, I was the talk of the town today."

Emma rolled her eyes and sighed, "I guess there's no kiss for the hero."

"Oh was that what you were doing? Being a hero while airing my personal affairs all over town."

"Regina…"

"Those were very personal details, Miss Swan!"

"I know! I didn't intend to do much talking when I got there. I was just so mad at him for hurting you. I didn't think."

"No. You didn't think."

"I, I just got protective…"

"I don't need your protection, Miss Swan. I can take care of myself."

Emma could see the hard anger in Regina's eyes and her heart wept. She seemed drawn into herself and tense also. The blonde had learned to read the brunette so well over the years that she knew that at this point, instead of fighting and pushing, capitulating was the best way to get the desired effect Emma wanted, which was for Regina to listen and not back away.

"I'm sorry, Regina," she said softly, "It all got out of hand. I never intended to have an audience. I just wanted to hurt him for what he did to you. You were so… God Regina, I was so scared. I had never seen you like that before. It really pissed me off."

Regina looked away in embarrassment. Suddenly she looked like a young girl gazing through the railing in uncertainty.

"Do you want me to leave?" Emma asked afraid of the answer. Regina's eyes whipped up to hers in shock and panic.

"No!" Regina said immediately much to Emma's relief.

"Good," Emma released her held breath and shrugged, "…because I wouldn't have left anyway."

Regina smiled and then rested her forehead on her crossed arms and Emma could tell she was chuckling. "No, of course you wouldn't have." The look she gave Emma then practically melted her heart. It was one of adoration. _She thinks I am adorable even though she's upset with me._ Emma was beginning to feel better already. Then that look of doubt clouded over Regina's features again. It was driving Emma out of her mind.

"Regina, you keep getting that look on your face! What is going on in your head right now? Just be honest with me!" At first she didn't think the older woman was going to tell her, but after a few minutes she confessed.

"I'm scared!" Emma was taken aback. Out of all the things Regina could have said, that wasn't expected.

Emma scooted her over and took a seat on the stair beside her. "What are you scared of?"

"You." Regina's voice broke. "I'm scared of hurting you."

"You know we're going to hurt each other eventually, right? I mean that's what people in relationships do. That's where that phrase 'you always hurt the ones you love´ comes from." She nudged Regina's knee with her own. "Besides, our history sort of suggests that _that's how we roll_." At Regina's wry smile, Emma gathered her close. "Look, like today. I hurt you unwillingly. I didn't intend to hurt you, but my actions, well…if I had known then what I know now… I would have _knocked _instead of kicking the door down and I would have made sure it was _closed_ before I punched him."

When the corners of Regina's mouth tilted upwards, Emma grinned. She was so NOT giving up on this woman. "That's not what I meant," Regina shook her head while looking at her hands. "Hook made me wonder today if I was hurting you by keeping you here with me. Or if I was going to eventually harm you in some way because my track record…"

"FUCKING HOOK!" Emma blurted angrily. She knew that jerk had put a monkey wrench into things.

"Can we, _please NOT _phrase it like that? That is not the visual I want in my head."

Emma blinked and then amended, "FUCKING EMMA!"

Regina laughed at that, "Yes, indeed. Much Better."

Emma couldn't even believe that the smiles were passing between them this soon but she would take it. This was another awesome thing about being with Regina; it was never a dull moment. They _knew_ each other's quirks and what to expect but were yet pleasantly surprised at times as well. The whole darn relationship was a crazy puzzle… and she LIKED it that way. She had a feeling that Regina did too.

"Regina, let me ask you a few things. Are there any poisoned apples in my future?"

The brunette eyed her curiously. "No, of course not."

"Are you going to kill me?"

Regina guffawed, "I already told you, I don't want to kill you."

"Then everything else is on a 'deal with as needed basis for me." She then stroked Regina's cheek and made the older woman look at her. "You are not _her_ anymore. You are not the Evil Queen."

"But I am. She's still here inside me somewhere. Most days, I feel like I have her well contained," Regina worriedly frowned, "and then there are moments, like today, where she just pops up out of nowhere and makes me want to curse Hook to oblivion." Regina threw her hands up in frustration, "I think I am going crazy!"

"No. You're not crazy." Emma shook her head and grabbed Regina's hand stroking her fingers with her own, hoping Regina found it comforting.

"And you are so certain of this?" Regina intertwined her fingers with Emma's.

"Yep. Because crazy people don't think they're crazy. Just the fact that you're afraid you're crazy probably means that you're actually pretty sane." She smiled at the brunette and she in turn just rolled her eyes and shook her head from side to side, but she was smiling. "Regina, no matter what you may have _wanted _to do, you were still in control of your actions and you didn't act on them. You are not EVIL anymore, but yeah, I guess you'll never be rid of the Evil Queen completely because that's who you once _were. _Like it or not, she has helped make you who are today and that person is more than good enough for me." Emma placed her forehead against Regina's and then she nuzzled her queen's nose with her own. "I told Hook today, that I am grateful to you for what you have done."

That got Regina's attention. She threw her head back in disbelief and she scoffed, "You're grateful? You're grateful that I enacted a curse that forced your parents to give you up for 28 years, sending you to a land where you grew up as an orphan completely alone."

"Yes. I mean, _now, _yeah sure."

"Are you intoxicated?"

"Regina… _it gave me Henry_." Regina had an odd look on her face just then. "What?"

"It… it's just that I say that same thing to myself every time I begin to feel guilty about casting the curse. _It gave me Henry."_

Emma beamed at her. "It's SCARY how we do that isn't it? It's like we share the same _brain_."

"Miss Swan, don't push it."

"_It gave US Henry, Regina…" _Emma reiterated, moving closer and when their lips were only a hair's breath away she said, "…and Henry gave me you." Then she felt Regina's lips open under hers and Emma's tongue pleaded with Regina's to come out and play and when it did, Emma was quite simply overjoyed.

After a few heated kisses, Regina pulled away, smiled and then inquired with a movement of her eyes downward, "Is it painful?"

"Huh?" She followed Regina's gaze to her right hand all bandaged up. "Oh…his face is a lot harder than one would think. The dumb blockhead. Bruised, swollen knuckles. You should see his face though." Emma nodded proudly to which Regina just shook her head feigning disapproval. Emma knew Regina had no great concern for the pirate's health, and at the moment it seemed like all was forgiven.

"You have magic, you know. You can just heal it yourself."

"Yeah, but this is a wound I am extremely proud of." She held up her fist. "I got this defending My Queen's honor!" Emma saw the heated flash in Regina's eyes. _Smooth move, Swan. _Yep….she was definitely forgiven.

"Well, Your Queen prefers that you heal your hand because she has plans for it." Regina got up and pulled Emma up by her uninjured hand and proceeded to tow her up the stairs and into the bedroom.

"Oh… well in that case… what My Queen wants, she gets."

"Yes," Regina looked back at her with a regal smile that sent tremors straight through Emma's body to her center, "…she does." There was the haughty tone of voice that turned the savior on.

They were in the bedroom now and after Regina closed the door and led Emma to the center of the room, she pulled the younger woman tenderly against her and guided both of Emma's hands to her curvy backside. Regina then raised her hands to cast the silencing spell, and once done wrapped her arms around Emma's neck dragging her lover's mouth to hers for a fiery kiss.

Emma automatically grabbed and squeezed the gift that was offered her and winced a little at the pain in her hand.

"You really should heal that hand," Regina murmured against her lips and then she flicked her tongue into Emma's mouth making her groan loudly. Regina pulled away and started to seductively undress while walking backwards. Her eyes never left Emma's. The sheriff swallowed hard because now Her Queen was completely naked and perched on the edge of the bed with her legs crossed and her arms back.

Emma was beside herself with desire but was forced into movement when Regina finally quipped, "So are you going to heal that hand? Your Queen wants to_ reward_ you for your noble intentions." And with that Regina leaned back, fully opening herself to the savior, and angled so she could still watch Emma's reactions. The brunette drew a hand between her legs and began to touch herself slowly. "I'm waiting, Miss Swan."

Emma just stared in wild wonder for a few seconds and then was frantically ripping at the bandage on her hand swearing, which made the queen chortle from the bed. _How the hell did mom wrap this? _If she hadn't known any better she'd think Mary Margaret planned this to purposely be difficult. Finally, she had rid herself of the wrap and when she looked at Regina again. Her Queen was squirming atop the bed with a finger inside herself. _Fuck!_

Emma took a deep breath, concentrated on her hand and felt her magic course through her. In a matter of seconds her hand had lost the bruising and swelling and was completely healed. _Awesome. _And then she was kneeling in front of Regina, holding her legs apart.

Her hands stroked the tops of Her Queen's thighs, while her mouth zoomed in and started making out with the most intimate part of Regina's body. The brunette moaned loudly and started to roll her hips rubbing herself against Emma's mouth. She was so warm, wet and soft, Emma groaned into her folds eliciting more enjoyable cries from Regina. When she brought her hand to rest atop the older woman's mound, her hand stilling Regina's movements, and then she used her hand to gently press the queen's hood against her tongue while it moved wildly and quickly against her."

_"Oh my GOD, EMMA!" _

Emma's tongue flicked faster and more urgently, up and down and side to side, and when she felt that Regina was ready for a little more, she gently suckled the queen into her mouth. Regina's hands fisted and unfisted in her hair and her hips began to buck. Emma released her and made a slow ascent up her body, paying homage with her mouth and fingers to her dusky taut nipples while her other hand stroked her queen's dripping folds. Then she was hovering above Regina and what she saw in those chocolate brown eyes exhilarated her. Love. Sheer unadulterated love. Emma groaned, penetrating Regina with two eager fingers, and kissed her, swallowing the older woman's ecstatic cries.

As soon as their lips parted and Emma buried her face in Regina's neck, nibbling and sucking, the brunette broke forth with repeated cries of "Yes!" as Emma thumbed her center while adding another finger and thrusting determinedly. Regina was pulling at her to kiss her, but Emma desperately wanted Regina's taste on her tongue again.

She lowered herself between her queen's legs, and knelt there for a spell just watching her fingers move within her. "Look at me, Regina." Regina sat on her elbows and fulfilled Emma's request. "I want My Queen to watch me as I make her come." Emma watched Regina's head fall back in rapturous delight and then her eyes focused on Emma again with unmasked lust. _Fuck! _That look was Emma's undoing.

The blonde withdrew her fingers and sucked them eagerly into her mouth. She ignored Regina's excited moans and slipped two fingers back in curling them downward at first and tonguing the queen insistently. Regina's sounds were getting louder and Emma was getting so aroused knowing that Regina was watching her. The brunette's eyes were on her and her mouth was agape and breathing heavily. It took every ounce of control Emma had not to rush.

"Emma… mmmm…Emma…" Regina started to move her hips urgently and Emma knew what that meant.

"Are you ready to come, My Queen?"

"Uhn, yes… yes…" Emma grinned up at her, held her still like she had before and their eyes connected as Emma held her against the flat of her tongue and licked her insistently again, working Regina into a frenzy. When Emma curled her pumping fingers upward and added sucking to her throbbing nub, she watched as her queen came radiantly. _"Oh my GOD, Emma, FUCK YES!" _ _And score 1 point to the savior for making the queen swear!_ It was amazing to watch Regina climax from this vantage point; while their eyes were fixated on each other.

Regina was riding out her powerful orgasm against Emma's fingers and her thighs started to tremble and clamped against Emma's head but the blonde tried to hold her still. She knew how sensitive Her Queen was now so she placed feather light kisses against her folds and basked in the feel and scent of her. Suddenly she felt Regina sit up, demandingly rip Emma's face from her twitching softness and she crushed Emma's mouth to hers, pulling the savior on top of her. Emma loudly groaned when Regina started to hungrily lick her own essence from Emma's lips and chin.

"Does My Queen like the way she tastes?"

"Mmm…she does on you." Regina slipped her tongue sweetly between Emma's lips and stared into her eyes. After Emma had been thoroughly kissed, she noticed Regina looking down at her attire. "Miss Swan, you are entirely overdressed. Take these off." The brunette began to divest her of her top and bra and began unbuckling her belt.

"Sorry, I was a little busy."

"I have yet," Regina kissed her, "to give you…" another kiss… "your reward." She unbuttoned the front of the blonde's jeans.

"Oh really?" Emma thought of the wild orgasm she had just witnessed. She loved the sounds Regina made when she came and her orgasm face thrilled Emma beyond all belief, which was why she wanted Regina facing her when it happened. "…because _that _sure felt like a reward to me."

Regina raised her eyebrow and stated simply, "Miss Swan, I will not repeat myself again. Your Queen _demands that_ you take these off and bring yourself up here to me." _Holy fuck! _And just like that, Emma was shucking out of her jeans and moving herself, guided by Regina, up to settle her aroused flesh on the older woman's waiting mouth. After all, Her Queen demanded it.


	16. Chapter 16: Two Halves to a Whole

**Chapter 16: Two Halves to a Whole**

"Geez kid, stop growing, would ya?" Emma joked as she, Regina and Henry exited Purbeck Shoe Store with a bag containing new shoes for their son. As soon as they were in the street and walking, the blonde immediately slipped her hand in Regina's. "Don't you know some spell to keep him short forever?"

Regina squeezed the offered hand affectionately and kidded, "And here I thought there was a 'no magic on Henry' rule." As they walked down Main Street, passersby waved and greeted them with a smile. After the whole fiasco with Hook, Regina had noticed in the days following that people reacted very unexpectedly. It was Hook that got most of the awkward stares and finger pointing, not her. People were even a little bit friendlier to her, which really baffled her.

"Yeah, no magic on Henry," the teenager seconded, walking in front of his moms and swinging his bag of new Converses gleefully. "I don't want to look like Leroy when I turn 40." His moms shared a chuckle and Regina rolled her eyes.

As they walked down the street, two young girls, aged 15 or 16, were walking from the other direction and as they passed, Henry's head turned and he was so fixated on them that he wasn't paying attention to where he was going.

Both Regina and Emma spat out warnings at the same time.

"Henry…!"

"Kid, look out!"

But it was too late. The lanky teenager walked straight into a mailbox.

"Ow…" Emma cringed as Regina moved quickly to him. He was bent over in pain, hands over his crotch. Recognizing the mailbox as the one he had demolished when David was trying to teach him how to drive, in an attempt to be a cool Grandpa, Emma chuckled, "Henry has absolutely no luck with that mailbox."

Regina sternly glanced up at Emma as she was rubbing Henry's back. "Henry, are you alright?"

"Yeah," he sputtered.

"Were they worth it, kid?" Emma smiled knowingly and Regina gave her another look. "What? You know what he was looking at."

Before Regina could retort with anything, Henry grinned up at Emma and confirmed with a huge grin and nod, "Yeeeeah."

Regina guffawed while rolling her eyes, "You two are incorrigible," but she couldn't hide the full grin from blooming on her face. Then under her breath she muttered, "I don't think I am going to survive puberty." After some thought she sobered and proposed louder and more directly, "This does bring up a good point for discussion though. Something we've been meaning to discuss with you, Henry."

Emma's eye's widened, "What, here? Seriously?"

"No, of course not, but, later at home."

Henry huffed and grabbed his bag. "Look, moms…" Regina's and Emma's heads jerked at that and they shared an eyebrow raise, "If it's about sex, I already know all that stuff. If it's about safe sex, well, I know about all that stuff too and I promise when…" at their narrowed eyed looks, Henry corrected, "…_if…_if it happens, I will wear a condom." Emma's eyebrows raised in a startled expression while Regina looked tormented. "And I also know how to treat a girl, with respect. I'm a Charming!" Henry puffed out his chest with pride and then he motioned to Regina, "…and my mom did not raise me to be an assho…"

"Henry!" Regina scowled, hands on hips, regardless of the intended comment.

"…a jerk."

Regina shook her head and looked over at Emma who was standing there with her arms crossed and an amused expression on her face.

"Now is there anything else? I want to go to the coffee shop and get a caramel frap." He wiggled his eyebrows at them and started walking away.

"Yeah, there's something else!" Emma spoke a little louder after him. "You shouldn't check out chicks when you're out with your _moms_!"

"Indeed."

"Smart ass kid."

"He gets that from you." Regina smirked. Then she noticed the playful gleam in Emma's eyes and the next thing she knew, she was pulled into the alleyway out of view from the eyes of others and nearly kissed to distraction.

* * *

By early afternoon, Regina found herself walking along the docks, enjoying the day by herself. In town, they ran into Nick and Ava and Henry had asked if he could spend the afternoon with them. Emma got called into the station and Regina said she would walk around to kill a few hours before they all met and left for home.

She found a bench to sit on overlooking the water and she just stared out to sea while she sipped her coffee.

"Hello, Regina." Regina was so mesmerized by the lulling sea that she didn't notice Tinkerbell walk up.

"Tinkerbell."

"Mind if I join you?"

She was a bit hesitant. Seeing Tinkerbell didn't exactly bring up the best memories. "Have a seat."

The blonde fairy took a seat beside her and looked out to sea and then to her. She looked as if she had something on her mind and Regina was apprehensive about what it might be.

"You look happy, Regina. Really happy." Tinkerbell swung her legs out and stretched them. "I don't think I have ever seen you smile so brightly before. You have very pretty smile."

Regina couldn't help but smile back at the compliment. "Thank you. I am."

"That's good. That's all I ever wanted for you." Then, Tink patted her on the leg, "I'm glad that you have finally found love. I'll see you around." When the fairy got up to leave, Regina was astonished and confused.

"Wait a minute! That's it?!"

Tink slanted her head in bafflement. "What do you mean? Isn't it enough?"

"You're not going to lecture me on tossing my soul mate away again? How I ruined my life? How I lost my chance at true love?"

Tink sat down next to her again. "I don't understand. Does your life feel ruined? Are you not in love with Emma?"

"My life is perfect and I love Emma so much!" Regina was so bewildered by the lack of negativity from Tinkerbell that she hadn't realized her openness with her feelings.

"Then Regina," the green fairy laughed, "…that's all that matters!" She took Regina's hand in hers, "All I ever wanted was for you to _choose love_. You were always so afraid before. Taking a step to love and accepting it into your heart is the first step_ toward_ a happy ending. You were denied yours for so long because you were not willing to take a step and _choose _love."

"But Robin…"

"He was your soul mate, yes. Pixie dust doesn't lie, but…" Tink stopped then and looked deep in thought. "I have been thinking about it and I think I may have steered you wrong. My disservice to you was making you believe that you had only one soul mate in this world and without them you could never be happy."

"Yes, that was the general message received," Regina annoyingly retorted.

"Well, see that's what I've been thinking about, a lot lately, and I have some new theories about it."

Regina became impatient suddenly, "Well?"

"Okay… if we break down the word 'soul mate' right…'soul' means your spirit and a 'mate', well that can be defined as many things: a partner, a co-worker, or a friend. You see?"

Regina had a look of bewilderment still on her face, "Okay, continue."

"Well, I believe that a soul mate is somebody that is complimentary to you and can connect with you in ways others can't. They teach you things about yourself. Sometimes they come but they don't always stay. They fulfill their purpose and move on. For instance, I think Daniel was your first soul mate, Regina. Daniel taught you that you can love and what it felt like to be loved."

Regina looked out across the water and thought of Daniel and how happy she was when she was with him; how connected she felt when she was with him.

"Now the man with the lion tattoo, Robin Hood, he was another soul mate. He taught you how to hope again. He helped you find hope. Then he left as well."

"He was forced to leave."

"Well, yeah, by _you. _You told him to leave._" _Tink continued regardless, "Either way that's not the important thing. Robin served his purpose, Regina. He was no longer needed by your soul anymore."

"You said he was my happiness."

"Technically, what I said was that he was _the beginning_ of your happiness."

Regina shook her head slowly from side to side trying to process everything.

"You know, I was there. When Emma kicked the stuffing out of Hook, I was there and heard everything. What she said really got me to thinking about things. Of course, I had been observing you two for a long while before that. The both of you intrigued me and always made my fingers itch for a bit of Pixie Dust to prove my theory: that you two _belonged_ together. When I heard Emma question things with such conviction, well, I didn't think pixie dust was necessary anymore."

"Question things how?"

"She asked Hook why no one ever wondered whether the two of you could be soul mates, since you both understand one another better than anyone else ever has. You feel that way too, don't you?"

It was more a statement than a question and Regina could do nothing more than nod and smile.

Tinkerbell knowingly smiled as well. "She also wondered what would have happened if _she_ had been in that tavern that night and I have to admit to being really intrigued by that question. I would have liked to have seen how the dust would have reacted if she were sitting on the other side of the bar."

Regina was dumbstruck at that notion. What would have happened? Emma wasn't even born then that fateful night. Snow was still a child.

"So… so are you saying that Emma could be another soul mate?" Regina had many thoughts circling through her mind, first of hope and cheer and then of dread. Tinkerbell said that soul mates could leave. What would she do if Emma ever left?

"That's where this gets really dicey." Tinkerbell turned more to her and Regina didn't realize that she was sitting on the edge of her seat awaiting Tinkerbell's answer. "No. I don't think Emma is your soul mate." Regina suddenly felt deflated and her shoulders slumped but if Tinkerbell had noticed she didn't mention anything. Instead she explained further, "I think Emma is your _twin soul!"_

"My what?"

"Twin soul. Twin souls are two halves of one soul. With your twin soul, you feel complete. That person's soul is a true mirror of yours; which could also make it a real challenge to get along with them from time to time. But together, you have an unconditional love and bond that sticks. They are the _ultimate _soul mate. You can have more than one soul mate, but you can only have_ one_ twin soul."

Regina shifted and sat back with a sigh.

"Pretty heavy stuff, right?"

Regina nodded, "I've never heard of a twin soul before."

"Oh," Tinkerbell said stretching her legs out, "…that's because in our world they're known as something different."

"And what is that?"

Tinkerbell looked at her meaningfully, "True love." When Regina's head snapped to attention with a startled expression, Tinkerbell nodded and smiled widely, "There are many different kinds of true love. The true love between family members: siblings, mother and son…" Tink pointed to Regina, "But for two people who have a romantic relationship and have true love…that is a twin soul connection. Like Snow White and Prince Charming…twin souls…two halves of one soul. That is how they keep finding their way back to one another."

Regina was gob smacked. "So you think that Emma is my true love?" Regina was afraid to hope.

"I did say that, didn't I? Do you think I've been talking to hear myself speak? Geez." Tinkerbell rose from the bench and looked down at Regina. "It doesn't matter what _I_ think anyway, Regina. It's what _YOU _think. What does your heart tell you?"

Regina knew she was stuttering but it was a lot to take in. She felt that true happiness was just within her reach and suddenly she had found herself closer than she had ever been before. Her eyes darted to Tinkerbell.

"Oh for goodness sakes." Tinkerbell grabbed her coffee cup and put it beside the brunette, held both her hands and instructed her to close her eyes. "For once in your life, Regina, listen to me, listen to your heart and NOT your head, where all your doubt and your mother's unhealthy influence has lived your entire life. Ignore all the fear. Imagine Robin, now imagine Emma, think of how you feel, what you want, who you_ truly_ love…YOU. What does your heart say?!"

She felt more than she saw or visualized. For the first time, Regina let herself feel everything, to push back the fear, to shut everyone's voice out and she listened to her heart. Only one thing came through, only one person, one voice. The one soul that was the mirror image of her own.

"Emma…" When she opened her eyes, she saw Tinkerbell smiling down at her. The green fairy released her hands and started to back away.

"You see? You don't need pixie dust. You've got it all figured out. Choose love, Regina. Always." And with that Tinkerbell, the Green Fairy walked away.


	17. Chapter 17: Regina's Happy Ending

** This chapter has sexual content

**Chapter 17: Regina's Happy Ending**

Emma lay in bed that evening, with Regina tucked against her side cozily. There was a change in the brunette when she had met them at Granny's by late afternoon. She had entered the diner apologizing for being a little late, which was strange because the former mayor was impeccably punctual, and she was smiling. There was almost a skip to the woman's step.

To make matters even more unusual, she had mentioned that she had bumped into Tinkerbell on the docks, which had worried Emma initially, thinking it might have been a bad meeting for Regina, but she was actually quite happy. What did that mean? Whenever Tinkerbell and Regina talked, they talked about Robin and the whole soul mate thing. Is that what they had spoken about? Did Tink tell Regina something more about her destiny? About Robin Hood? About her happy ending? About Robin Hood and her happy ending?

_"And what of Hood? What if he were to ever come back?"_

Emma frowned at the ceiling. The recollection of Hook's words was sudden and unwelcome. She looked down at the woman sleeping beside her, whose cheek was resting on her chest. _My Queen. All mine. _

The blonde smiled sweetly at how Regina's long lashes laid lightly upon her own cheek and she moved slightly to kiss the crown of the older woman's head. She felt quite lucky to probably be the only one in Storybrooke, besides Henry… and maybe her mother, who had ever seen Regina without any makeup on. Her face was scrubbed clean and she was still so amazingly beautiful.

"I can't sleep…" Emma heard an instant murmur. She looked down and saw Regina's eyes flutter open.

"No? Why not?"

"Because the wheels in your head are turning so loudly." Regina placed a kiss above her breast and then propped herself up on her elbow and looked down at the younger woman, "What are you thinking so intently about that you are unable to sleep?"

"I was thinking about your eye lashes." A response that caused the queen's head to pull back in surprise. Emma was unsure of whether she wanted to reveal all that she was thinking without giving it more thought.

"My eye lashes?"

"Mmm-hmmm…" Emma moved up, over and then above Regina, whose inviting smile told Emma that she was well aware of Emma's intentions and that she was more than willing. "…and your gorgeous eyes and your soft delectable pillow lips…" Emma punctuated that last remark with a sound kiss, "My Queen is absolutely stunning, even without her make up…" and then she remembered something, "….or all that war paint the Evil Queen used to wear."

Regina snorted but still ran her hands up and down Emma's back teasingly and then she cupped the blonde's behind lovingly.

Emma kissed her and reveled in Regina's scorching touch. "And those _headdresses_… tell the truth… you don't miss those, right? It looked like you were wearing a dead bird on your head." That earned her a playful pinch from the sexy woman lying beneath her.

"I had a reputation to protect, dear; to strike _fear _into the hearts of millions. I could not properly do that without sporting the appropriate attire or without 'the face'." Regina's grin was huge and Emma was amazed that suddenly, they were able to joke about the Evil Queen together. This was definitely a good sign especially for Regina and the future.

"What? Looking like a_ vampire_?" Emma kidded, which got her another pinch from Her Queen on the other side. "Ow!" She feigned complaint while Regina snickered. _So sexy._ "When you captured me at Midas' ball, I thought you were going to _eat me_." Emma took both of Regina's hands and held them captive above the brunette's head while skating her lips across Regina's jaw and then rimming Regina's earlobe with her tongue.

"Well… perhaps I should have sent you to my bedchamber instead and _done just that_, dear." The double meaning was not lost on Emma, especially since the brunette pulled her head up and drew the tip pf her tongue purposefully up Emma's neck, slowly, making the blonde mewl in response. Emma loved what havoc that tongue created along her sex.

"Oh God, that's HOT!" Emma unconsciously slid her throbbing sex along Regina's thigh and after gasping at the contact, started grinding slowly and surely.

Regina inhaled quickly at the feel of Emma's slickness coating her thigh. "Having me invade you with my tongue?" And for good measure, Regina tongued her ear hole meaningfully, Emma knowing full well that it would make the same movements over and into her opening. "Mmmm… the thought of being devoured by the Evil Queen makes you so wet, doesn't it, dear?"

"_Everything_ about you makes me wet, Regina." _Acceptance. _Emma accepted all of her, Evil Queen and all.

Staring at each other for moments, just communicating with their eyes while their hands caressed each other, their breaths mingling, mouths so close to one another, she watched Regina's lips come closer and then they captured hers in a naughty wet kiss that distracted Emma enough for the brunette to free her hands and grasp Emma's hips to guide her more urgently on her thigh.

"You know what's even hotter, Emma?" With one hand Regina cupped the back of the blonde's head and brought it down so she could whisper in her ear. "The vision of me, dressed in ONLY that black headdress, you are making fun of, and the Evil Queen's black knee high boots, riding your _tongue_ while my fingers are pumping deep inside of you."

Emma's hips rolled urgently at that. "_Regina…_" Emma was going to come. She was teetering on the edge now.

"My dear," Regina cooed slightly menacingly as Emma felt her head pulled back. "…is that any way to address Your Queen?" _Fuck! _Emma looked into the brunette's eyes and they were sparkling with mischief and something that was the tiniest bit evil and it only turned Emma on more, pushing her closer to her climax. She rubbed harder now and Regina sneered at her.

"No, My Queen."

"That's my good girl." Regina feasted on her mouth for a reward, swallowing Emma's moans, and her nails dug into Emma's bottom, forcing her to ride her leg faster. "Now are you going to come loudly for Your Queen?" Regina bent her leg just slightly at the knee and Emma rocked harder and faster now and her breathing became loud and labored.

"Oh My Queen… My Queen…" Emma chanted as Regina's hand was guiding the savior's bottom in a rhythm that made her sex twitch and her juices flow. Regina sucked a nipple into her mouth and took the other one between her fingers, pinching and rolling, but it wasn't until Emma felt one of the brunette's fingers on her bottom slip past and into the curve and brush against a part of her that no one had ever been before that her world shattered into bright and brilliant colors. She shrieked loudly and collapsed against Regina who held her tightly, kissing her neck and stroking her hair as the blonde was coming down from her orgasmic tremors. The pleasant lassitude of her orgasm loosened her thoughts and tongue as she hugged Regina and whispered, "I love you, Regina. I love you so much." The sharp intake of breath she heard had a hitch to it and she felt herself being hugged back, sweetly. That had to be good right? Emma did not have the energy to give it much thought. Her body was satiated and heavy.

Regina moved Emma down to tuck her against her side with the blonde's head on her chest. She crooked her finger under Emma's chin and tilted her head up to place gentle loving kisses over her eyelids and then to the corners of her mouth. When Emma's lips parted, the queen dipped her tongue in to get a final taste. "You are absolutely exquisite, Emma."

"You… you called me 'Emma'…" The blonde managed weakly. "Not 'Miss Swan',"

"Yes," she felt and heard Regina's smile instead of seeing it, "I guess I did."

"… means something…" Emma started to sleep but stirred.

"Shhh…Emma, sleep now."

"No… you…"

"Silly girl… your orgasm was for _my_ pleasure." Regina brushed her hair back, kissed the tip of her nose and cuddled Emma closer, "…and so is this."

"Mmm… tomorrow."

Emma started to drift off into sleep but not before she thought she heard her beautiful queen say, _"Yes, my love, tomorrow."_

* * *

The next weekend there was an informal party at the home of Ashley and Sean, also known as Cinderella and her Prince. They had found out that they were having another baby and had waited for an acceptable time in the pregnancy when they felt safe enough to announce it to everyone. A loud chorus of cheers sounded and everyone was thrilled for them.

Regina sidled up to Emma and put an arm around her waist, a glass of wine in her other hand. Emma could get used to these mild personal displays of affection. Though Emma's arms were crossed, her hand closest to the one Regina had tucked around her waist, claimed and held it possessively.

"So, I see you and the King were getting a little chummy over there," Emma gestured with a nod at Cinderella's father-in-law.

"Mitchell?" Regina questioned with wide eyes. "We had done business together back in the Enchanted Forest. You know trade and such. All the royal monarchs had." Regina shot Emma a sidelong glance. "Jealous?"

Emma scoffed, "What? As if…" though she had caught Mitchell Herman trying to sneak a peek down Her Queen's shirt when Regina had her ear close to hear him speak through all the loud commotion.

"He told me that I had his full support in being reinstated mayor." Then Emma felt Regina's hand shift and glide seductively over her bottom so subtly that no one else probably noticed. But she did, and those fingers were making her heart race. "He's not my type, dear." That was said so close to her ear, that she felt Regina's breath hot on her skin and yet she still broke out in goose bumps under her clothing. She turned her head and they were both looking at each other's lips. Then their eyes met and the look they shared was one of promise… for later.

"Hey, your majesty…," came a low mocking growl, "…can you get your hand off my daughter's ass?" David Nolan appeared with a beer in his hand.

"But your daughter likes it there," Regina retorted narrowing her eyes. Emma shook her head with a wry smile. No one told Regina what to do, especially a Charming, but this time she was certain this was all in jest as the looks they gave one another had no bite or threat. Her parents and Regina really had come a long way from trying to kill each other. "Why just last night, David, we…"

"LA-LA-LA-LA-LA-LA…" David immediately stuck his fingers in his ears and walked away, a dirty look for Regina.

Regina sneered victoriously and patted her bottom, whispering in her ear, "Mine."

Before Emma could say anything though, an older woman walked up to them and said, "Hi Regina. I just wanted you to know that you have my support."

"Thank you, Alana." Suddenly a whole group of children came up and grabbed Alana around the waist.

"Hi Sheriff," They all chorused. "Did you shoot any criminals today?" One of them asked.

"Nope. Not a one," Emma replied big grins on her face.

The three women laughed and Alana said, "The kids saw a western on TV the other day and a few of them think you're like Sheriff Cassidy in the show, riding a horse and shooting bad guys at high noon."

"Hah! Me on a horse?" The sheriff laughed looking at the kids, "I have never even ridden a horse before."

"Really?" Regina sounded intrigued, "We'll have to rectify that, Emma."

_Interesting. _Emma genuinely smiled up at her lover. "You would ride again?"

"To teach you how... certainly." Regina sipped her wine and smiled back. "We'll take Henry too." Another very good sign, Emma thought pleased. Regina was moving forward and the thought of them spending a day at the stables as a family thrilled Emma, though the thought of actually getting on a horse was positively scary. Emma suddenly realized the children were still looking at her expectantly.

"But Sheriff Cassidy… that sounds so much more exciting than what I actually do."

"Oh yes," Regina jokingly quipped, "That is certainly _more_ exciting than battling witches, snow monsters, and curses." The brunette looked to the kids and smiled at them and added a level of sarcasm in her voice just for the adults, "Let's all wish we had the titillating life of a cowboy."

After their laughing died down and they said their goodbyes, Emma asked Regina, "Who was that again?"

"Alana Peterson. You know Alana and her children. She has been one of my very few supporters from the beginning."

"Yeah, I know who they are but I don't remember who they _were. _I keep meaning to check in the book back at the station but I always get distracted." Emma shot a curious expression at Regina. "Wait, you mean she wasn't mad at you after the curse?"

"No dear, she was actually quite grateful. When you live in a shoe and suddenly find yourself in a town with a bigger space to live in, school for the kids to spend the day in and healthcare, well…"

At that moment, Tinkerbell came up beside them. "Hello, Regina. Emma."

"Tinkerbell," Regina's demeanor changed slightly and she straightened.

"Regina, I need to have a word with you. It's really important."

"Absolutely," Regina said and the brunette gave Emma's arm a squeeze and they disappeared into the backyard.

Mary Margaret moved beside Emma and inquired, "Is everything ok?"

"I don't know, Mom." Emma tried not to let it bother her, but it did a little bit and she couldn't help but show it. "Maybe it's a soul mate thing."

* * *

Regina made her way back into the house with Tinkerbell. "Now remember, a secret for now. This plan is still so new, I'm not even sure about it yet." Tinkerbell said.

"I don't know why you want to keep it a secret. I think it's a good idea. The citizens of Storybrooke would welcome the idea."

"We'll see Regina… A fairy? They'll likely think I'm crazy. But I'd rather do this than be a nun. I have to admit. If there is one thing that I can be grateful to you for, about losing my wings, is that I didn't get swept up by that curse. Being a nun, actually fits Blue, she's so 'high and mighty' all the time. I bet she gets off on the power trip."

Regina shrugged nonchalantly and replied, "She is a hypocritical bug. She always looks down at the other nuns and was cruel to you, Tinkerbell, treating you like you didn't know anything."

"Yeah? Well who got sucked into a hat, that's what I want to know?" Tink's retort earned a wide eyed stare from Regina.

"Bravo, Tinkerbell."

She saw Emma standing with her mother looking at them suspiciously causing Regina to frown. When they drew closer, the four women greeted each other.

"So how's it going, Tinkerbell?" Emma seemed more like she was conducting an investigation than polite conversation.

"Oh good. Everything's fine." Regina looked at Mary Margaret who had her head tipped at Emma strangely.

Emma turned to Regina. "Hope everything was okay. It looked serious."

Regina narrowed her eyes at Emma. She knew the sheriff was fishing for something.

"It's really about a plan for the future." Regina eluded.

"Really…" Emma nodded seeming to become more irritated, which unsettled Regina, which made Snow uncomfortable and Tinkerbell a little inquisitive, "A plan about destiny? Soul mates?"

_Soul mates?_ Regina's frown deepened in further confusion: Did Emma find out about hers and Tink's twin souls conversation the other day? She gave Tinkerbell a bewildered look and when they turned to look at Emma, she had turned around and started to walk out the door. Regina was so confused. If Emma knew that she and Tink were talking about her they why would….

_"A plan about destiny? Soul mates?"_

"Oh, Tinkerbell!" Regina began to quickly follow Emma just as it became clear to the green fairy that the Sheriff perhaps thought they were talking about Robin Hood. "Emma!"

Regina caught up to Emma on the front lawn. Tinkerbell and Mary Margaret hung back just outside the door with David joining them seconds later. He had seen the commotion and wondered if anyone needed any help.

"Emma, wait!" Regina pulled at the crook of her elbow and Emma spun around.

"What, Regina." The brunette could see hurt in the younger woman's eyes and her insides were telling her to build her wall; her wall of sarcasm and apathy to protect herself. _No! I am not handling this the way I always have._

She had to take a moment to think. Then she tried, "It's not what you think."

"Really? Ok then. What's it about?" Regina looked at Tinkerbell who energetically nodded her approval. "Tea."

"What?"

"Tinkerbell wants to open a tea shop."

Regina ignored David piping up, "I love tea" and Tinkerbell giving him two thumbs up and then Mary Margaret shaking the fairy's hand in congratulations while still holding her husband's arm and leaning her cheek on it.

"A tea shop?" Emma looked at Tink who nodded more emphatically than before. "Why all the secrecy?"

"Fairy nerves," Regina shot Tinkerbell a brusque glare to which Tink just rolled her eyes. She was beginning to like this sarcastic side to the fairy. She may have just found a new best friend.

"So is this what you guys were talking about the other day then?"

Regina cocked her head to the side in uncertainty and Emma took that as an admission of guilt. Regina suddenly cursed herself for being so inarticulate without sarcasm or haughtiness.

"We were discussing soul mates the other day, yes. Tink had some theories she wanted to discuss with me."

"About Robin."

"Yes. But we also talked about Daniel being my soul mate too and… and then we talked about you."

Emma placed her hands on her hips and started to heel the dirt with her boot. "And what about me? What? Am I another soul mate?"

"No…" Emma's face fell and Regina suspected she was messing this up, "Tink thinks you are my twin soul. My ultimate soul mate. My true love."

"And what do you think?" Emma's look was one that seemed to bounce back and forth from fear to hope and in that second, it gave Regina hope and she smiled, love suddenly felt everywhere.

"I **_know_** you are." Emma's breath caught in her throat and no one, besides David, knew that Mary Margaret's grip was tightening on the arm of his jacket and her eyes were tearing.

Emma smiled a little. "So you think I am your _true love_?"

Regina nodded, "As much as I am yours."

Emma's smile grew bigger and then it faltered for a second. "What if Robin came back? What If he was able to come back tomorrow or in 5 months or in a year?"

"Then we would probably have a _friendly_ lunch, talk about our lives with our respective families, and then I would lovingly come home to you." Regina's eyes were a little misty now too, but she continued to lay herself bare and it actually felt unexpectedly… liberating. "I want you, Emma. I _choose_ you." As if that reminded Regina of something, she dug through her Gucci bag and pulled out something in her hand. "This is for you."

Emma took the object and stared at it, her eyes becoming misty. "I already have a key to your house."

"Yes, dear, but that's the only old spare key I have. This is a brand new key. Your very own key to the house, and there is also a key to the garage, until another electric door opener arrives. It's already on order. And that… well… is a key to my Mercedes." Regina stepped closer and cradled Emma's face in her hands. "Emma, I want you to move in with us. I want my home to be _our home. _I want you there permanently, in our lives." Remembering their conversation in the study a while ago, Regina clarified, "And just to be sure. I am not talking about a boarder. I am fully expecting you to be in my bed, our bed now. I want us to be a family, Emma. I love you."

Suddenly they heard a rapid slapping sound coming from the house and when they turned they found Mary Margaret punching David in the arm excitedly and while overcome with happy tears.

"Ow, ow, OW! _SNOW!"_

_That sniffling sentimental clod. _But Regina gave the pixie cut princess a smile and mental kudos for making her husband rub his arm painfully.

"You said you'd bring me a happy ending, and you did. YOU are my happy ending." Regina and Emma both laughed and put their foreheads together.

Emma brought her hand up to stroke Regina's cheek. "I suppose you'll want a key to my car now."

"No," Regina shook her head and Emma laughed.

Emma pocketed the keys and smiled brightly. Putting her hands on Regina's hips, she uttered, "Say it again."

"No, I don't want a key to that rattling death trap of yours."

"Say it again, Regina."

Regina turned her head and looked at their audience. Snow and David arm in arm smiling wide and Tinkerbell with her hands fisted and pressing against a wide smile. Regina suddenly felt so self-conscious. She brought her lips to Emma's ear and whispered, "I love you."

Then her savior smiled and murmured against her lips, "Let's just remember who said it first."


	18. Chapter 18: Epilogue

**Chapter 18: Epilogue**

Granny's diner was closed to the public that evening but packed with all their family and friends to help celebrate Regina's reelection as mayor. She had made a brilliantly eloquent speech thanking her family. Emma had wandered over to the counter now and taken a seat holding her beer and watching Her Queen work the room with a glass of wine in her hand.

Henry was sitting in a booth with his friends talking animatedly with them. Grace was sitting beside him and every so often they would share a look that gave Emma pause. Though she had tried to calm Regina down about Henry not being a little boy anymore, she didn't want him growing up either.

She sat at the counter and nursed her beer looking at all the happy people celebrating around her. Storybrooke had been peaceful for a record amount of time now. No monsters, none that she knew of. No catastrophes. She and Regina had settled into a blissful life at the mansion and Henry was glad to have his two moms around all the time. Emma was glad to also finally have a home of her own, a place to belong.

Regina and Mary Margaret came up just then and Emma turned and circled Regina's waist with her arms, her mother so used to the displays of affection now didn't think twice about the action; it was only natural. Her father, however still bristled a little bit but only because Regina would tease him about having sex with his daughter. Emma wasn't entirely sure how that came about. Something about a conversation the brunette had once had with her parents. She had thought, maybe, the less she knew about it, the better. They treated it as harmless fun… well… at least Regina and her mom did.

"Thank GOD, everything is back to normal!" Mary Margaret raised her glass of wine. "I am no longer mayor! No more politics. No more whiny people. Regina, I thank you."

"Well, Snow, I thank you for your support. If it wasn't for you and David rallying around me, it may not have happened. I can't believe I am actually saying all that."

"What about me," Emma asked over her shoulder, tugging on her waist. "I offered my help and support too."

"But you are my partner, dear. I would expect nothing less." Regina threw a sexy smirk over her shoulder and Emma had to resist the urge to turn her around and kiss the living daylights out of her. Regina was the mayor again and Emma would hate to see the headlines in _The Mirror_ tomorrow if she was forcibly making out with the mayor in public, though honestly, Emma was expecting that headline sooner or later.

Loud laughing arose from the teen table and Henry and Grace bumped shoulders and blushed.

Mary Margaret gasped as she gestured to them, "Does my grandson have a girlfriend?"

"Should we be worried about that?" Regina gestured to the table of teenagers.

"Eh," Emma dismissed it with a wave contrary to her thoughts just a few minutes ago, "Let Jefferson worry about it." That earned sharp looks from both her mother and her partner. "What? I trust my son!"

Regina's eyes softened. "I do too." Just then Henry looked over and caught them looking at him so he just tipped his head up in greeting, very much like a teenager. Emma and Regina sighed wistfully at the same time.

"You two are too much," Mary Margaret giggled. "You're even sighing like an old married couple now." Then she sipped her drink, "Which is a very good thing."

Regina shook her head in disbelief at the short haired brunette, "I still can't believe you are alright with this. I thought you would be enraged and fiercely protective considering our rather complex history."

"All water under the bridge, Regina."

Regina eyed her closely and then genuinely smiled, "I'll drink to that," Regina said and sipped her wine.

"I'm pretty surprised that you are okay with me having a girlfriend, mom."

Mary Margaret looked baffled, "Why would you say that? I only want you to be happy."

"Well I figured that maybe stuff like this didn't happen all that often where you're from." That got shocked looks from both women and Emma continued to explain with a shrug, "You know… I thought Fairytale land was more… conservative and traditional."

"On the contrary, Emma. It happened more than you might think." Regina said.

"Really?" Emma's eyes widened in surprise.

"Oh yeah," Mary Margaret waved off. "As a matter of fact," Mary Margaret began as she leaned forward in secrecy, "…one time, during the summer solstice, as the night was so humid and hot, Red and I undressed and laid a blanket down in the middle of a meadow…" Emma sputtered her drink and Regina stared at Snow in wide eyed shock, mouth agape.

"What?! REALLY?" Emma was scandalized.

Snow White burst out in unrestrained laughter, "No…" shaking her head. "Pure as the driven snow, remember? But you two should have seen your faces."

"Since when did you get a sense of humor?" Regina seemed to be looking at Snow White with new eyes.

"Hey, I have always had a sense of humor. It's just kind of hard to show it to you with you trying to kill me at every turn." After finishing her drink, Mary Margaret signaled Ruby for another.

"I hope you aren't breastfeeding," Regina began as Ruby gave her another glass of wine.

"Of course not! I pumped and stored."

"A simple 'of course not, I have it covered' would have sufficed," Regina retorted. "I don't need images of you pumping in my head."

"Hey," David came over and stroked his wife's back. "What are you ladies talking about."

"Mom's boobs."

David stilled and the three ladies snickered. Emma couldn't resist.

"Okay," David started, "I see where this is going. Now that Regina is officially part of the family, the estrogen levels around here have been raised and poor Henry and I are outnumbered."

"Well you have our son, but I'm afraid he's still too small to be of any help to you yet, so I guess so. Deal with it, Charming." Snow nudged her husband in the ribs.

"Still it might be nice to know when you two," David pointed with his beer bottle neck to his ring finger jokingly, "are going to make it _officially _official." He hummed the wedding march. Mary Margaret shook her head and Emma laid her head down and laughed into Regina's shoulder, Regina comfortably stroking the blonde's hand with hers.

"David Nolan, are you asking me what my_ intentions_ are with your daughter?" Regina asked him and Emma mused that it sounded like the mayor was taunting him about something. She noticed her mother covering a knowing laugh with a hand.

"Regina," David put up a hand.

"I'll tell you what my intentions _are_…"

"Regina…" David had two hands up now. Emma inquiringly squinted at her mom, but the pixie cut woman just laughed and shook her head.

"What are you guys talking about," Henry came up and Emma noticed her father practically use his grandson as a shield.

"Aha! Saved by the kid!" But her dad grinned and winked at Regina and Her Queen just looked and smiled at him teasingly as if to say "coward".

"We were just talking about how happy we are, sweetheart," Regina said and she leaned back more into Emma and when Henry saw that he beamed at them.

"This is EXACTLY how it was supposed to end!" Henry exclaimed to which everyone looked down on him with startled smiles and questioning looks about what he meant. "With MY family…_together_. In spite of everything that has happened since I first brought Ma to Storybrooke, this is what it has _always _been about... **_our family_**." He reached into his pocket and produced two tiny packages. "Here Mom, this one is yours. And this one is for you, Ma."

Emma and Regina looked at one another, smiled and unwrapped their gifts. What they found made them both gasp in wonder.

"Kid…" Emma said in awe.

"Henry, it's gorgeous." Regina admired as she placed a hand to her heart.

Both she and Regina held their identical necklaces up.

"It's white gold. I had it made for you. It's the only two in existence. Grandma and Grandpa helped of course." Emma looked at her parents who were arm in arm, each with a hand on Henry's shoulder, looking at the two of them.

"Let's just say, he's our _slave_ for the next year." David put in.

"But he designed the whole thing himself." Mary Margaret added, "Look at the pendant. He even got a fingerprint from each of you, rather covertly, and a strip of it is engraved on the back. Emma, your pendant has Regina's fingerprint and Regina, yours has Emma's. Our grandson is such a _romantic_!" She hugged Henry from behind.

"It's… it's a swan…" Emma admired.

"With a crown…" Regina's voice hitched. The crown was made of simple diamonds.

"Swan Queen," Henry declared grabbing both his mothers' attentions. "That's your couple name."

"Our couple name?" They asked while they both helped each other put their necklaces on.

Mary Margaret giggled, "Just be thankful. At first it was almost 'Regemma'."

Then David frowned, "I thought it was 'Emgina'."

"No, changed my mind. Both of those were lame." Henry rolled his eyes. "And when _I _name something, it has to be perfect."

Both his moms chortled at that but they adoringly looked at him. Then they looked at their necklaces again so surprised that their son did this; their amazing wonderful son.

They stood close, wrapped in each other's arms. Regina fingered Emma's pendent and Emma did the same to Regina's, the diamonds sparkling with their movement.

"Swan Queen," Regina approved with a smile, leaning in toward Emma.

"I like it." Emma agreed leaning in slowly as well, and then their lips met.

**THE END**


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